Mark Taylor backs Steve Smith to return as a better skipper in future

After the much disgraceful ball-tampering scandal that painted an ugly picture of Australian cricket in the entire world also saw the trio of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft getting banned for committing an act near to sin. However, Cricket Australia director and former Australia skipper Mark Taylor reckons that the banned skipper will return to the fore as a better human being to captain the national team after serving the ban.

Taylor grieved about the aftermath of the Ball-tampering saga as a big loss incurred to the Australian cricket and believes that things will get better from hereon. Smith, who is expected to return in Australia colours in March 2019, might still have the best cricket left in him in the years to come.

Smith is not a cheat

Taylor looked highly positive in chances of the former skipper making a cut to the national side even after a gap of one year. Arguably one of the best Test batsmen in the world, Taylor was of the view that terms him as ‘not a cheat’.

“Steve Smith to me, and everyone wants to label people, is not a cheat. Steve Smith was guilty of negligence in my opinion. He saw something going on and he didn’t stamp it out. That’s a mistake of negligence. He’s not a cheat, he’s a very good person. And to me that’s the biggest damage that’s happened over the past few months,” he told Nine Network’s Sports Sunday.

Smith can captain Australia again

As per the ban that was imposed, it also barred Smith from holding any positions in the leadership group of the team for a year after he returns as a player in the squad. But Mark, who played 50 Tests for Australia forms the opinion that, “I still think Steve Smith can captain Australia”.

Having known him from close quarters, the 53-year old believed that, “I think if he ever does come back and captain Australia it will make him a better captain”.