The injury to Cameron Green was supposed to make life easier for Australia in terms of the batting order, but it has instead ended up opening a can of worms. With Steven Smith confirmed to move down the order, all that’s left to settle is who opens, but nobody quite seems to be sure who will actually partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order for the five-Test series against India.
Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris are, on paper, supposed to be front-runners, but 19-year-old Sam Konstas is the individual that Australian media and former cricketers are backing. Recently, even Josh Inglis has been floated as a possible option to open the batting in the first Test in Perth.
To add to the chaos, Marnus Labuschagne has now thrown his name into the hat too. However, the Queensland skipper admitted that he feels super comfortable at No.3 and would like to continue there if it was up to him.
"I will bat wherever they tell me to bat. Currently I would say that how I have played at No. 3 has been relatively successful," Labuschagne said, reported ESPNCricinfo.
"Hopefully, it should be more successful, but that's where I have batted. If [selectors] think I should move and that is best for the team, that is what will happen, but at this stage, I think they have made it clear they are going to look down the opener route. Who that is...is anyone's guess. It is a very open field."
One thing is certain: For the Tests against India, Labuschagne will have Smith walking in to bat after him. In a recent interview, Smith revealed that one of the reasons he wanted to move back down the order was that both Labuschagne and Khawaja ‘hated him’ opening the batting.
Labuschagne gave his take on the issue and asserted that the equation is simple: that it makes total sense for Australia’s best batter to bat in what’s his best position.
"One of the best players for Australia batting in the position he has had the most success in is a pretty simple fix," he said. "Cameron Green is unavailable for the summer.
“There is no one batting at No. 4 as we currently stand in our team. Why not have the person who has done it best for Australia batting in that position? It just makes sense.
"People want to know if there is something more [to it], but that is the reality."
According to the 30-year-old, Smith’s adaptability is what makes him such an effective batter in the middle-order. "I think it is his ability to read match scenarios and adapt his game to whatever the game needs," he said.
"At No. 4, you have to be good at playing spin, work on when you need to push, when you need to hold and when you need to get through a tough spell. That has always been his strength."
Earlier this week, David Warner sensationally claimed that he is open to coming out of retirement and opening the batting against India, but Labuschagne played the claim down and asserted that he wasn’t sure if Warner was joking.
"I don't know if he was serious or whether he was joking. It is always hard to tell. I don't know what to make of that,” Labuschagne said.
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