Cricket Australia has been shocked just before the T20 World Cup. Steve Smith has been taken hard by Mitchell Johnson, a former great pacer. After failing to make an impression in the game’s shortest format, the speedster has accused Smith of inflating his wallet.
With the World Cup approaching, Steve Smith’s repeated struggles in T20Is are cause for concern for the Men in Yellow. The shocking words came after Smith played two forgettable games in the just-finished T20I series against New Zealand.
Despite opening the batting, he scored 11 and 4, which will most likely end his hopes of being chosen for the T20 World Cup in June.
Following a terrible performance in the home 2022 T20 World Cup, Smith saw great success as an opener in the 2022–2023 BBL season, scoring back-to-back hundreds.
“To Boost Steve Smith’s chances of playing in leagues where he can earn big pay-cheques”- Mitchell Johnson
Recently, Australia thoroughly outplayed New Zealand to win the T20I series 3-0. Steve Smith didn’t make an impression, even though the Men in Yellow are still performing well. Steve Smith continues to struggle with the game’s shortest format.
Johnson penned the following in his The Nightly column:
“I wonder if international T20 cricket is something he really wants to play. Of course, he will most likely play in a few different leagues around the world when his Test career is over and so maybe there is a dangling carrot in that he wants to perform at international level and at a World Cup to boost his chances of playing in leagues where he can earn himself big pay cheques.”
Australia experimented with a lot of choices. Allowing Steve Smith to open the inning was one of them. During the current series in New Zealand and the India series last year, Steve Smith batted at the top of the order. But in four innings, Smith averaged less than 22 runs at a strike rate of 128 and managed just one half-century.
“That gives him time to get himself in”- Mitchell Johnson on Steve Smith opening in the T20Is
According to Mitchell Johnson, Steve Smith’s only chance of making the Australian team for the T20 World Cup was to bat first in the order. But as was already established, the right-hander did not fare well in his four T20I opening matches against New Zealand and India.
“That (opening) gives him time to get himself in and his eye in and once that happens he can hit it all over the park. And with Australia’s explosive batting attack, that could be a good fit for Smith. But Australia need to see him score and do that job consistently before he could be considered for the World Cup,” stated Mitchell Johnson.
During his incredible career, Smith has performed admirably for Australia in the shortest format but has struggled in Test and ODI cricket. With just five half-centuries to his credit, Smith has amassed just over 1,000 runs at an average of 24.86 and a strike rate of 125.45 in 67 T20Is.