Steve Smith has expressed his desire for David Warner’s long-term replacement to Australian selectors.
Steven Smith desires to open batting in Tests
Steven Smith wants himself to be the replacement for the opener David Warner for the next test series after Warner retires from Test cricket by the end of the final test of Pakistan’s Australia tour in Sydney.
Australia has a busy test schedule in the calendar year 2024, and they will be playing a two-match test series on West Indies’ Australia tour in 2024.
Smith’s name had not been named among the contenders to replace Warner as the debate was at its peak across the summer.
Among those names suggested, Cameron Green was considered as a left-field option alongside Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, and Matt Renshaw.
But this week, Smith’s interested in doing the job, and it is understood that he has raised the prospect for the players’ replacement with the selectors.
Smith confirmed that it was his long-term desire to open for Australia. “I’m actually happy to go up the top,” Smith said.
“I’m pretty keen if that’s what they want to do. I’m sure the selectors and Ron [Andrew McDonald] and Patty [Cummins] will have a chat after this game but yeah, I’m certainly interested for sure.”
The selectors were hoping to get Green into the side after Warner’s retirement and wanted Marnus Labuschagne to open from No.3.
Smith would be clear in the opener’s role given that he averages 61.46 on 19 Test centuries at No.4. He has a test average of 67.07 at No.3 in Test Cricket with eight centuries.
He did not get a chance to bat there since the two tours of India and Bangladesh in 2017 where he made three centuries in nine innings.
Usman Khawaja was drafted to bat in No.3 and then Labuschagne took the role during the 2019 Ashes.
Smith needs to have a fresh start after having a quiet year because of his weak performance in 2023. He still maintained an average of 42.22 with three centuries and made 929 runs in 13 Tests he played.
It was his lowest average since 2014 except for the years 2018 and 2020 when he played only a few Tests due to his ban for the Sandpaper incident and Covid-19.
However, the selectors are set to decide on the replacement for Warner at the end of the Sydney Test, they still have some time before playing in the Test match against West Indies two weeks later.
Australia and West Indies will be playing their first test starting on January 17 at Adelaide Oval.
