Should Smith have been selected for T20 World Cup?

With Australia having confirmed their 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, veteran sports journalist Robert Craddock believes that the selectors should have found a place for Steve Smith.   

Over the weekend, Cricket Australia locked in their 15-man squad for the tournament, with Ben Dwarshuis and Matt Renshaw coming in for Pat Cummins and Matt Short.

While Cummins’ de-selection from the provisional squad is to ensure that he fully recovers from his back injury, Short’s dropping comes as somewhat of a surprise, considering that the selectors have chosen Renshaw over Smith, given that he had only made his IT20 debut last week against Pakistan.  

The Australian Test vice-captain has also expressed a desire to feature in T20 internationals with the hopes of representing the country at the 2028 Summer Olympics in the format.

With that in mind, Craddock thinks that considering the experienced 36-year-old could have brought the squad, it could have helped their winning chances.    

“World Cups are won by big-name players,” Craddock explained on SEN’s Whateley.

“Remember Marnus Labuschagne in the 50-over World Cup (in 2023). He was going to be dropped about six times, but he just kept on appearing and producing because he’s a big-name player with a big-name temperament.

“Now, if I said to you, who’s the best players of spin bowling in Australia for the last 20 years? Steve Smith is on the podium, isn’t he?

“And I just thought he would have brought so much to that World Cup squad. Not just his playing of spin in Sri Lanka, but just his wherewithal about he can be there talking tactics, talking bowling, field placing, team selections. He’s a wise owl, and he had a really good summer as a captain.

“And I get it (why they didn’t select him). The logic was always, ‘Hang on, Travis Head and Mitch Marsh are opening the batting, and Steve Smith is opening the batting, that position is settled, you don’t need him’.

“But Smith’s T20 game is really developing well. He’s put a lot of thought into it.

“He wants to get to the Olympics in 2028 in LA, so why not take him?”

While Craddock can understand why Smith wasn’t selected for the T20 World Cup, he also expressed his surprise that the selectors have decided to drop Short.

“I was surprised by that,” he continued.

“I thought Smith would come in via an injury to a fast bowler or something, But’s it’s a big decision to put Matt Short in the preliminary squad and just get rid of him for Matt Renshaw. That’s a significant call.”

The tournament begins on February 7 when Pakistan plays the Netherlands.

Australia’s campaign begins on February 11 when they play Ireland at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

SEN will have live coverage of the tournament through its radio network and on the SEN app.