Masterclass’: Genius Steve Smith captaincy move reignites Pat Cummins debate

Steve Smith is a cricketing genius.
That was clear for all to see after Smith masterminded a superb final session on Day 3 against Sri Lanka to help Australia clinch a 2-0 series clean sweep.
Australia wrapped up a nine-wicket victory early on Day 4, with Usman Khawaja 27 not out and Marnus Labuschagne unbeaten on 26 after Travis Head was dismissed for 23.Matt Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon finished with seven wickets each for the match.

At one stage on Day 3 Sri Lanka was 5/198, leading by 41 with two set batters, but the hosts crumbled to be 8/211 with a lead of just 54 runs after spin wreaked havoc on a dusty pitch in Galle on Saturday.
Australia’s Usman Khawaja (left) and Marnus Labuschagne celebrate after wrapping up the victory. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)
Smith is serving as stand-in captain in the absence of Pat Cummins, who missed the tour to be at home for the birth of his second child, a baby girl.
The 35-year-old took a one-handed screamer low to his right at first slip to dismiss Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 23.
Smith then called on Beau Webster to bowl offspin instead of his medium pacers, and it paid dividends, with Ramesh Mendis flicking a delivery to Travis Head at bat pad.

But Smith showed off his genius when he manoeuvred the field to give set batter Kusal Mendis an easy single down the ground off the last ball of an over, to get new batter Prabath Jayasuriya on strike.
The move proved to be a masterstroke, with Smith bringing Kuhnemann on in an astute bowling change. He flighted a ball beautifully and Jayasuriya edged it to Smith at slip, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at stumps on Day 3.
Australia’s captain Steve Smith (2R) could do no wrong in the field. (Photo by Ishara S.
Smith pulled the reins in the field like a master puppeteer.
Smith appears to be relishing reprising his role as captain, rewriting the record books as he rediscovers his best form in Sri Lanka.
How good is Steve Smith as a captain. Pushed midwicket fielder to the deep to make Jayasuriya make a single and gets the strike next (and last) over. Exactly the ball went to that fielder and they got a single.Did a bowling change introducing Kuhnemann and got the wicket.
— Poornama🏏 (@iam_poor9) February 8, 2025
Geez Steve Smith has been so good with his captaincy in the field this Test. Whole series really, but in particular this Test #SLvAUS
— Ricky Mangidis (@rickm18) February 8, 2025

Brought Webster and asked him to bowl some spin and he took the wicket.Skipper Steve Smith masterclass 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/3vs7z5fbaZ

Smith has overtaken Ricky Ponting to have the most runs by an Australian in the Asian subcontinent and he also surpassed Ponting with the most catches ever by a non-wicketkeeping Aussie in Test cricket.
He has now scored 18 centuries, half of his total haul, away from home, including six in the subcontinent.
Smith was banned from international cricket for a year following the sandpaper scandal in South Africa in 2018.
He was at the peak of his powers at the time of the ban, and it’s easy to imagine Smith would be closer to Ponting’s haul of 41 Test hundreds had he been allowed to keep playing.