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Smith resting was ‘well thought out’ – Lehmann
- Updated: August 25, 2016
While acknowledging that Steven Smith “took some convincing” to sit out the remainder of the Sri Lanka tour in order to rest and re-charge for Australia’s forthcoming fixtures, coach Darren Lehmann has strongly defended the move as being in the team’s best interests.
“We just wanted to make sure that he’s fresh and ready to go for South Africa and then the big summer ahead,” Lehmann told reporters in Colombo. “It was well-planned and well thought out, and that’s what we’re doing.”
Australia are due to tour South Africa for 5 ODIs in September-October, before hosting them for three Tests in November. That will be followed by home series against New Zealand and Pakistan. Australia will then tour New Zealand and India early next year.
Despite leaving the tour early, Smith has emphasised his desire to continue captaining Australia in all three formats, and Lehmann backed that sentiment.
“He wants to keep doing that and we’re very happy with the way he’s leading the side,” Lehmann said.
Smith’s departure will give David Warner the opportunity to captain his country for the first time. Warner’s captaincy experience so far is …
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