Steve Smith being made Australia vice-captain can heal wounds from ball tampering scandal, says Mark Taylor

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor said that while Steve Smith may have wanted to be skipper again, he wouldn't be too disappointed at being made vice-captain and returning to a leadership role within the team.

Former skipper Mark Taylor has backed the appointment of Steve Smith as Australia's vice-captain more than three years after he was stripped of the captaincy for his involvement in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal.

Smith has returned to a leadership role as deputy to newly installed captain Pat Cummins, who was promoted to the captaincy position when Tim Paine quit earlier this month due to his involvement in a "sexting" controversy.