This notion has not gone down well with former Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson.
The inception of T20 leagues across the world has changed the face of modern cricket. Fast-paced lifestyle has now been replicated on the cricket fields with quickfire scoring and earning quick bucks. It’s no secret that players want to ply their trades in franchise cricket and some have even made it their priority over other commitments.
However, this notion has not gone down well with former Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson who came out in criticism of his fellow countryman, Steve Smith. Echoing on the same lines, Johnson accused Smith of playing T20Is to increase his chances of playing in T20 leagues around the globe once his international career is over.
In his column for The Nightly, Johnson wrote, “I wonder if international T20 cricket is something he really wants to play. Of course, he will most likely play in a few different leagues around the world when his Test career is over and so maybe there is a dangling carrot in that he wants to perform at international level and at a World Cup to boost his chances of playing in leagues where he can earn himself big pay cheques.”
Johnson’s scathing remarks came after Smith had forgettable outings in the recently concluded T20I series against the Kiwis. He registered scores of 11 and four and almost closed the door on his chances of selection for the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
Following a disappointing performance in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Smith experienced significant success during the 2022/23 BBL season, scoring two consecutive centuries as an opener
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This led to the Australian team trying him out as an opener in the India series last year and more recently in the New Zealand series. Unfortunately, Smith only managed to score one half-century and had an average of less than 22 in four innings.
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