Hall of famer Ricky Ponting believes Steve Smith has matured and developed as a person during his one-year ban and will once again captain Australia in the years to come.

Smith is slowly creeping towards the end of his year-long ban for his part in the ball-tampering scandal which shook Australian cricket to its core.

He and vice-captain David Warner, who was revealed by Cameron Bancroft as the ball-tampering mastermind on Wednesday ahead of his return from a nine-month ban, aren’t eligible to return for Australia until March 29, while Smith can’t regain any of the formal leadership responsibilities for another year.

By the time Smith is eligible to captain Australia again, current leader Tim Paine, who inherited the role following the events in Cape Town, will be 35.

And Ponting, who on Wednesday became the 25th Australian to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, believes that Smith could well be given a second chance to lead his country.

“I think he will come back into the captaincy,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.
“He’s owned up about what his leadership failures were, and he’s been pretty open with that over the last week.

“I’m able to forgive after he serves his penalty. It’s a pretty hefty penalty to have 12 months on the sidelines, let alone the financial side of it.

“What he’s had to say, I think he’ll come back a much better person and a much better leader because of what’s happened.”

Ponting’s comments come less than a week after Smith fronted the Australian media for the first time since his emotional press conference upon return home following the scandal in March.

Smith said that his enforced period away from cricket had given him greater perspective in life and taught him valuable leadership lessons.

“I’ve learned over the last nine months that every decision you make can have a negative outlook if things go pear-shaped,” Smith said.

“What’s it going to look like if things go well, how does that look?

“Now it’s about learning and almost slowing your thinking down and ensuring that you make the right decisions more often than not.”

While Smith said his first priorities would be getting back into the side, supporting the current leadership team and earning the trust of the Australian public, he didn’t close the door on captaining Australia again.

“I guess, it’s too early to say,” said Smith, in reference to his leadership ambitions.

“I just want to get back playing and try contribute to the team as much as I can and just help out anyone that’s around, (Test captain) Tim (Paine) and (one day skipper Aaron Finch) Finchy as well.

“We’ll see what the future holds.

“But at the moment, I’m just preparing to play and I’m excited by that prospect.”