How good a captain was Graeme Smith

[kyear2]

Not only how good a captain he was, but how important was it anyways? And how do we determine that?

 

[Sunil1z]

W/L ratio

 

[honestbharani]

I think he was a great captain

 

[Bahseph]

I never regarded Smith as a great tactical leader. I mean he wasn't the worst,but he lacked in key areas.

He never seemed comfortable using his spinners,although the best spin resource he had available was Paul Harris, and he did have a paint by numbers approach at times.

You could argue that it worked for him because you don't have to change much when you have a bevy of world class quicks and Kallis in your team. I think his main strength was that he was a leader. He wanted to be in the frontline and pulled his team along with him. Was he the best captain ever? Nope. But he was definitely a great one IMHO. Won series all over except India didn't he? Probably took a few Tests off them but didn't close the deal.

 

[subshakerz]

He was a good captain. I think likely a great one though I am not sure. The team definitely improved under him and he built a strong side.

He was somewhat of an Allan Border type. Taking the team to a nadir and getting them to the top. Leading from the front. Instilled in the team a toughness at the key moments.

Tactically quite average and unimaginative though and conservative, which stopped the team from outright dominating when they should have.

Ordinary LO captain.

 

[FBU]

For Steyn he was the perfect captain. Kept him at number 1 in the rankings for years said Steyn.

 

[shortpitched713]

Great, definitely. Win/loss or tactics isn't the whole story by a long shot.

 

[Stefan9]

Depends what attributes you can consider most important.

Average at best tactically but a brilliant leader of men and lead from the front.
A Lot of SA's fighting spirit away from home during that long stretch was down to him.

 

[kyear2]

Thanks guys, some great responses.

In my mind it's down to 3 things.

A great leader of men

Great tactician

Win / loss record, extra points for taking the team to the top.

But so much depends on the strength of the team that probably only the top two are applicable?
And from I've read so far, Smith was probably only good at one of them.

But the vote tally tells a different story, so is being tactically astute secondary?

 

[subshakerz]

But the vote tally tells a different story, so is being tactically astute secondary?

Yes it is secondary.

Being able to motivate players to perform their best and get the team to gel well is more important, and leading from the front.

Win/loss is only relevant to the strength of the side and the winning rate upon taking captaincy.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Yes it is secondary.

Being able to motivate players to perform their best and get the team to gel well is more important, and leading from the front.

Win/loss is only relevant to the strength of the side and the winning rate upon taking captaincy.

I think that the win/loss rate should be taken into consideration with considering the team strength and the records of predecessors and successors. I agree though that I would want my captain to a tactical genius; but being a great leader is more important.

 

[capt_Luffy]

Top 10 Test captains imo:

Frank Worrell
Douglas Jardine
Don Bradman
Allan Border
Imran Khan
Richie Benaud
Mike Brearley
Clive Lloyd
Stephen Fleming
Arjuna Ranatunga

 

[subshakerz]

Top 10 Test captains imo:

Frank Worrell
Douglas Jardine
Don Bradman
Allan Border
Imran Khan
Richie Benaud
Mike Brearley
Clive Lloyd
Stephen Fleming
Arjuna Ranatunga

You have to have Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell there.

 

[capt_Luffy]

You have to have Mark Taylor and Ian Chappell there.

I forgot about Ian Chappell, he probably replaces Ranatunga, though still very close; but Mark Taylor isn't making the cut for me.

 

[shortpitched713]

Win/loss is only relevant to the strength of the side and the winning rate upon taking captaincy.

Not to mention talent inflow/outflow from and into the side during the period.

 

[kyear2]

Top 10 Test captains imo:

Frank Worrell
Douglas Jardine
Don Bradman
Allan Border
Imran Khan
Richie Benaud
Mike Brearley
Clive Lloyd
Stephen Fleming
Arjuna Ranatunga

Tbh, I guess @peterhrt would have the response. Was Bradman that great a captain, it is his name just thrown around because he was that great a batsman?

Also no Hutton?

 

[capt_Luffy]

Tbh, I guess @peterhrt would have the response. Was Bradman that great a captain, it is his name just thrown around because he was that great a batsman?

Also no Hutton?

Do Hutton belong in Top 5 English captains? I am not sure.... Peter May was rated by many (probably more) to be superior in that regard.

By all accounts, Bradman was that Good. A tactical genius and someone every single player was bound to respect.

 

[Coronis]

Tbh, I guess @peterhrt would have the response. Was Bradman that great a captain, it is his name just thrown around because he was that great a batsman?

Also no Hutton?

Great leader of players for sure, going through that entire tour undefeated sure would’ve required getting the most out of your team, even in relatively meaningless games.

Similarly, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win a test series would require the same, and he definitely showed some tactical acumen in that series.

 

[kyear2]

Yeah, so often the captaincy was just given to the best long standing batsmen, so it's hard to determine.

 

[number11]

G. Smith was a marvellous skipper and top draw opener. He is a shout for a modern era XI as the 2nd opener after Gavaskar. From 2000 - now era, he's a lock.