In his first full season as captain, in 2009-10, the top-order batsman guided Tasmania to the FR Cup-win; he was the second-highest scorer of the tournament. Under his leadership, they also won the Sheffield Shield in 2010-11.

While the statistics prove his worth, it is his affability and spiritedness on and off the field that have earned him high regard from fellow players and officials alike.

“He's widely respected throughout Australia. Those who play with him regard him very highly as a captain and as a leader. We've seen from Michael Clarke's leadership, he has done very well not least because of his astute decision-making on the field and George certainly has that too," remarked chief Australian selector John Inverarity on Bailey’s selection to the prestigious post.

Bailey’s ascendancy to the captaincy of the national T20 team with the 2012 World Twenty20 in sight suggests he is an important long-term prospect for Australia. “The Australian T20 team has been ranked a rather disappointing sixth in the world and we've certainly considered that the team needs refreshment,” Inverarity elaborated.

The batsman’s exploits in domestic T20 competitions made him one of the few unknown overseas players to feature in the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008. He has remained a part of the Chennai Super Kings unit ever since.

Though he did not captain his side in the recent Big Bash tournament, and had an ordinary competition as a top-order batsman, he does not feel the national captaincy is undeserved. “I feel like I'm ready and I'm very excited about [captaincy]. I think once you have been captain and played in the team for a little while, any time you're on the field you're always thinking. I haven't captained during this Big Bash but even then I've always been thinking about what I'd be doing in similar circumstances, who I'd be bowling and field placements and things like that. I don't think that part of you ever goes away.”