LONDON: Steve Smith is set to return to the middle-order for Australia’s blockbuster five-match Test series against India following a short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful trial as opener.
The retirement of David Warner at the beginning of the year left a vacancy to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order and Smith obliged, with his usual position of number four going to Cameron Green. While Smith carried his bat for 91 not out in the shock defeat by the West Indies in Brisbane in January, he failed to reach 32 in his other seven innings and was out for 15 or under on five occasions.
An average of 28.5 compares unfavourably with a career 56.97 and, having struggled with the moving ball, Smith, widely viewed as Australia’s best batter, has elected to shuffle back down the order.
The switch has been in the pipeline for a while but the selectors have more room for manoeuvre ahead the first Test, starting in Perth on November 22, by Cameron Green’s season-ending back injury.
Selector George Bailey told reporters: “(Captain) Pat (Cummins), (coach) Andrew (McDonald) and Steven Smith had been having ongoing conversations separate to the untimely injury to Cameron.
“And I think Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position. Pat and Andrew have confirmed that he will be dropping back down the order for the summer.”All eyes are on who fills the spot left empty by Smith, upping the significance of Australia A’s two first-class matches against India A before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets under way.