Is Billings as captain the right move ? I'm not so sure

Is anyone else slightly confused, or perhaps still in the dark to some degree, over the appointment of the new skipper at Canterbury - Sam Billings ?

I will start by saying this isn't intended as a slight on Sam Billings at all but I do question the decision by the powers that be at Kent that have given the captaincy role (for all formats) to a player that featured in just six County Championship matches last season.

Due to Billings' demand in T20 cricket and also 50-over cricket when England come calling later in the summer, there will be periods where he won't be available for Kent in any of the formats. The IPL runs from April 5th to May 21st and England have 10-ODI's during the summer months of June and July where Billings may well be expected to feature in the majority of those fixtures such is his standing in the eyes of the England management team.

So when he can fit Kent in, in between his commitments for country and T20 franchises, then I'm sure he will be more than competent in the role. Again, this isn't a suggestion that Billings wouldn't be up to the role as captain of Kent Cricket Club, he is a well-spoken and clearly intelligent young man that embraces the modern initiatives in the sport. He is a hugely talented cricketer who is Kent through and through and in the right circumstances would be a real asset as the leader of the club.

But I keep coming back to the fact that he will not be around the club and the players during pre-season when plans for the season ahead are being formulated, an element of bonding should be taking place and he should be getting comfortable in his new role around his team mates and familiarising
himself with the new responsibilities he has taken on at the club. Instead he will be playing some T20 cricket in India. Now I don't necessarily blame players for cashing in on the IPL even though it grates a touch that they are playing there and missing games for their county. I'm sensible enough
to realise the money on offer (amongst many other things) makes it very difficult to turn down, and I don't blame Billings for putting his name forward for the auction, but would it be appropriate for him to now withdraw from the tournament ?

I'm sure these discussions will have taken place and Kent will have a temporary solution in place to stand in for Billings during pre-season and the opening weeks, it just doesn't look very good for a new captain and perhaps doesn't set the right tone. By the time the IPL concludes on May 21, should Billings play in the competition and go the distance with his franchise, he will return to Kent having missed four Championship fixtures and two Royal London one-day games.

There is experience within the Kent squad in Mitch Claydon, James Tredwell, Joe Denly (also in the IPL auction) and Darren Stevens, should they require anyone to step in for the interim period. The likely candidate will be Denly who will be skippering the side when the team head off on their pre-season tour to the Caribbean later this month; Billings has been selected in England's ODI squad for the tri-series with Australia and New Zealand.

I don't think the situation is ideal, but clubs are increasingly having to find more innovative solutions to problems they are being presented with, I'm just not sure a having a skipper that isn't going to be with you a great deal is the best solution.