Facing new ball isn’t new or foreign to me: Smith

Steve Smith as an opener? 

Pretty weird to think of it, right? But the 34-year-old Australian batter wanted a new challenge to stretch his Test career, which was on the cusp of losing motivation. With no audition, the right-handed batter landed himself a gig at the top of the order, which has then allowed Australia to field the generational talent Cameron Green at his preferred position of No.4. 

In his 16-year-long cricketing career, Smith has never opened the batting, but the right-hander insisted that his skills against the new ball have been tested time and again, given he was batting at No.3 in a period that preceded Marnus Labuschagne’s return to Test cricket. 

"I am [excited]. I like facing the newer ball. I think if you look back to the 2019 Ashes I was in pretty early most of the time there where I was facing the new ball,” Smith told Fox Cricket. 

Also Read: Why Smith’s promotion could reinvigorate his career — and kick-start Green’s

“I batted No. 3 for a number of years as well and was in early and did pretty well against the new ball so it's nothing new or foreign to me. You know I enjoy getting in there and getting amongst it and yeah, I'm looking forward to that challenge,” he added. 

Smith’s eagerness to bat has been another big driving factor behind his decision to move up the order. The right-hander reckoned that he doesn’t really like waiting for his turn to bat. It is something that has become a theme at the Australian net session over the last few years, where the 34-year-old has been the first to bat in a net session. 

"Since I guess Marnus [Labuschagne] has been playing at No. 3, I've been waiting to bat for quite a long period of time and I don't really like waiting to bat.”

"So I thought, why don't I put my hand up and have a crack up top and that way you can get Cameron Green in and you're playing your six best batters so hopefully it works out,” he added. 

On the other hand, Australia’s former Test opener David Warner reckoned that this move from Smith would give a ‘good taste’ for Green. Warner insisted that it was a great move, which would eliminate Australia’s worry about finding an able No.4. 

"It's a good taste for Greeny…24 years of age," Warner said. "They're going to have to look for two new guys up the top [of] the order. But to get that No. 4 replacement as well, that's your foundation at three and four. So if they can knuckle that down, they've got a base in the middle. Then they just have a look for some more openers."