Australian opener Usman Khawaja is not really keen to see Steve Smith opening the innings for the team in Tests. He believes the right-hander is the second-best batsman at number 4 and does not want the middle-order batsman to sacrifice his position.
The opening position in Test format for the Australian team is up for grabs and there is no clarity on who will start for the team. David Warner hung up his boots after the Pakistan series and left a huge void at the top of the team in the format.
Steve Smith, however, has put his hands up and expressed his desire to open the innings. The right-hander is undoubtedly one of the great Test batsmen of our generation and can certainly be successful for the team in the opening as well. But batting at the top is a completely different challenge.
Steve Smith has excelled in the Test format while batting at number 4 and his batting in that position has also benefited Australia a lot. The right-hander has often gotten the team out of trouble when the openers were back in the hut and he, coming to the top, could leave a void in the middle-order. But if he opens the innings, this will allow Australia to play Cameron Green as well.
Usman Khawaja strongly believes that Steve Smith will be able to fill the starting position. But he doesn’t want the batsman to sacrifice his position. speaking to Cricket.com.auHe explained:
“I say it’s a specialist position in brackets, but anyone who can hit in the top four can start. I just wouldn’t want to sacrifice someone who, in my opinion, is the second-best Test batsman in history in the position he has been batting in for so long. The beauty of Smith is that he is a beautiful number 4 batsman. He can fight the pace. He is really good against spin.”
AUS vs. PAK: He really wants it, he wants that motivation – Marnus Labuschagne on Steve Smith opening
Marnus Labuschagne, on the other hand, wants Steve Smith to open the innings in the Test. He highlighted how the batsman’s average improves as the order increases. He believes Smith will do very well at the top. Speaking to Sen Cricket, he explained:
“He (Smith) averages 58 at five, 61 at four and 67 at three, so it seems like the higher he goes, the higher he averages. I have no doubt that if that were the case, he would do very well. He really wants it, he wants that motivation… waiting to hit is not his strong suit, he wants to get out right away.”
There have been several reports claiming that the Australian management is willing to open with Steve Smith. However, they also have Cameron Green in the ranks along with Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft. All the answers will become clear when Australia takes on the West Indies in the two-match Test series, which begins on January 17.
