by yuppie » Tue Sep 10, 2019 12:29 pm
The perception of mental toughness and Australian players might need to re considered by a lot of Australian supporters after the way Smith has performed during these ashes.
After sandpaper gate and arguably the lowest point of Australian cricket, there was much made of how Smith and Warner each handled the situation. A few talked of how Warner was not affected by what had happened and had the strength to deal with the situation, whilst how weak Smith was when he cried in public after being exposed. The contrast between the 2 was as wide as their batting performances have been in this series.
True Australian captains like Chappel, Border, Waugh and Ponting would never expose themselves to such ridicule by crying in public. Players like Kim Hughes and Steve Smith have been considered weak players due to them expressing emotion not expected of someone who has the most important job in Australia.
Yet during this ashes series the mental toughness of both Warner and Smith has been shown. If anything Smith has become stronger, learning from his mistakes and using it as a way to push his game on to even greater heights. Booed at every game, and in every innings he has gone about his business in his own way, showing the resilience and strength of character many thought he did not have due to his reaction when caught cheating.
Whilst Warner has been shown to be suspect, unsure of himself and a little lost since his return to the test team. Perhaps because he has never had a means to express himself after what happened in SA.
I bring this up because at the time there were many(no one here) who openly mocked the very natural response of Smith. It was a sign of weakness many said and compared it to the situation that Hughes found himself in. Both were weak players.
Perhaps this will help to change to perceptions of what an Australian cricketer needs to be. Tough yes, but also show a more balanced human side. Presently they are captained by person who seems very genuine, their best bowler seems like a nice guy, and the best batsman of his generation showing that redemption is possible. Perhaps the people with the perceived mental strength are the ones that need the most help and understanding.
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