Particularly as Steyn is still a part of the current South Africa playing XI and likely to feature against the Australians if not in next month’s one-day series hosted by the Proteas, but nearly certainly in the three-Test series to be played in Australia this summer.
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Hayden criticised Australia’s reliance on the high performance input and hinted that the coach (Darren Lehmann) was having too much influence at the expense of the captain (Steven Smith). Would any other @CricketAuscaptain done this?’ Jayawardene wrote on Twitter.
Smith had led his side in a short one-day series in the Caribbean, leading into the Sri Lankan tour.
‘We respect our former captains and former greats having an opinion, ‘ Lehmann said.
‘There is no dramas about it and they’re entitled to it.
Australia were hammered 3-0 in the test series, finding it hard on the turning pitches in Sri Lanka, but achieved a three-wicket win in the first one-day worldwide in Colombo.
Australias James Faulkner recorded his first ODI hat-trick but Sri Lanka, who chose to bat first, still managed to post 288 in 48.5 overs.
Australia will hope a refreshed Smith can help overcome their troubles on the sub-continent and a testing summer at home which threatens to hit the players’ in the hip pocket.
He has also scored 1884 runs in 78 Twenty20 Internationals and was Sri Lanka’s top scorer in this year’s World Twenty20 in India.
Australia’s tour of South Africa begins September 27 with a one-day match against Ireland in Benoni after which it plays five ODIs against the Proteas. Pakistan’s plans to host the day-night Test were made after they agreed to play Australia.
Meanwhile, Warner stated that Australia, who were completely outclassed in the preceding Test series, need to up the ante and back themselves in the next three games to clinch the ODI series.
The Australians remain well rewarded financially in terms of base contracts and match payments, with players pocketing a fixed percentage of between 24.5 and 27 per cent of annual revenue depending on performance.
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Smith said he would use the break to think on how Australia could improve on their disappointing Test match record in the subcontinent.
