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When Steve Smith became Australian captain in a pub!

Steve Smith took first steps to become the 45th Test skipper of Australia during a bar room talk with Mark Taylor and Brad Haddin

By Unnikrishnan
Steve Smith

Bengaluru, October 25: Steve Smith has revealed how a bar-room discussion provided the unlikely setting for him to take the reins of Australian cricket team.

Smith became Australia's youngest Test captain since Kim Hughes when he led the side for three games after Michael Clarke's back injury in 2014.

His promotion came after Cricket Australia ratified the recommendation from chairman of selectors Rod Marsh that Smith be given the responsibility ahead of vice-captain Brad Haddin, reports cricket.com.au.

Informally, it came when Smith, Haddin and Cricket Australia board member Mark Taylor shared a drink after the Adelaide Oval Test in which Clarke broke down.

Smith expected vice-captain Haddin to be given the responsibility and so did Taylor.

But Haddin suggested to Taylor that CA look to the future and fast track Smith's development as a leader.

Smith and Taylor were equally shocked, according to a chapter in the former's recently-released biography - 'The Journey'.

"'Don't you want to do it then?' he (Taylor) said to Brad with a smile, perhaps thinking he was joking," Smith wrote.

"'Are you serious?' said Mark, and then he turned to me and said: 'are you ready?'.

"I had absolutely no doubts that I was and said so, and with that Mark said, 'I'll go and make some calls then'."

Smith received the call from Marsh the following morning, confirming the gears were in motion and he would become Australia's 45th Test captain.

Story first published: Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 16:14 [IST]
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