Restoring Steve Smith to Australia's captaincy when his leadership ban ends might not be the best call for the Test team in the eyes of Allan Border.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ex-Test skipper Border said he'd have no issue with Smith regaining the leadership role he lost two years ago after the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
A 24-month ban on Smith holding any Australian leadership role ends in March.
While Smith has steadfastly supported Test skipper Tim Paine, speculation he'll return one day to the role has been constant since returning in the Ashes from his playing ban.
Border, however, can see an argument to be made to avoid disrupting Smith's form in the team, after scoring a mind-boggling 774 runs in four Tests against England at an average of 110.57.
"If he is the best guy for the job, I have no issue," Border told AAP.
"He has served his time. He might be an even better captain next time around.
"But, in saying that, is it better to have Steven doing what he does best? Let him go out there and score runs unencumbered.
"He's going to be a senior guy in the side anyway so you can bounce things off him out in the field and be a go-to guy. If we have the opportunity in 12 months' time to introduce a new younger guy into the frame, that might be a better option."
Smith will play his first Test on home soil since Cape Town when Australia face Pakistan from Thursday at the Gabba.
Border believes Smith has regained his status as a crowd favourite with his performances in England, but admits he's unsure how opener David Warner will be received.
Cast as the villain of the piece in South Africa, Warner made a disappointing return to Test cricket, scoring just 79 Ashes runs at the embarrassing average of 9.87.
"I think the ban they got was excessive, for what they did and what goes on in cricket," Border said.
"You can feel in Australia they were very angry about it. There is a bit of ground to make up, but I think Steven has made up for most of it.
"And David, hopefully with the performances and the way he conducts himself, he'll get it back. I think they'll be pretty well received, and there will be no big dramas."
Australian Associated Press
