Steve Smith open to bat at four against India

Having opened the innings in the last four Tests for Australia in January and March this year, Steve Smith said he is ready to move back to the middle-order for Australia’s upcoming home summer. 

After David Warner’s retirement from Test cricket, Smith moved up the order from his regular spot at number four. The veteran batter had lukewarm results. Barring an unbeaten 91 in the second innings of the Gabba Test against West Indies, Smith's top score in the remaining seven innings at the top was 31. Overall, he averaged only 28.5 as an opener in four Tests, scoring 171 runs.

“We’ll see what that looks like, I suppose, whether they want me to continue (opening the batting) or go back to three or four. We’ll wait and see,” Smith told Fox Cricket. 

“I’m pretty easy batting anywhere. We’ll just see what stacks up and what the brain trust wants. I like to stand up in the big series and do well and help the team. Hopefully, there’s much of the same this summer,” the 35-year-old hinted that a return to his usual batting spot is quite possible. 

Australia will host India in a five-match Test series in their home summer. The two nations compete for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which Australia last won in 2014-15. They have lost their last four Test series against India, including two at home, making this a significant series in their calendar.

At the end of their previous home summer, national selector George Bailey hinted at a different batting order to face the music against India. 

Smith’s opening partner in those four Tests, Usman Khawaja has said he enjoys watching Smith at four, where the right-hander averages 61.5 in 67 Tests.  “I’ve always loved Steve Smith batting at No. 4,” the southpaw said. 

“I know Smith can score runs at one, two, three, four, five or six, but the man averages 60 at four, so my preference has always been Smudge at four. I love seeing him come in at No. 4. You get two wickets, and who do you get walking in? The best batsman in the world.

“When you put him up to open, I feel like you’re kind of giving them a chance to get at him early,” Khawaja made the case for Smith at four. 

Smith also mentioned that the 10-minute turnaround time was the only difference between opening the innings and batting in the middle-order. 

“It’s a little bit of a quicker turnaround when you only have ten minutes, running off the field and you have to get back out there quickly. Outside of that, I don’t think there’s much change,” Smith elaborated. 

The five-match series begins on November 22 in Perth. The subsequent fixtures will be played in Adelaide (Day/Night), Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively. 

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