Australian News – Marnus Labuschagne: ‘Anyone’s guess’ who will open, but Smith at No 4 ‘very easy fix’

“They hated me up there…so that was a big part of it,” Smith said. “They called it security behind their backs – I don’t know, ask them about it. To be honest, I’m not that opposed. They didn’t like me at all…I understand that.”

Labuschagne said Smith’s return to the position he dominated for most of his career was not rocket science.

“One of Australia’s best batsmen in an area where he’s had a lot of success is a simple fix,” he said. “Cameron Green is not available in the summer. There is nobody batting at number 4 as we stand in our team. Why not have someone who has done well in Australia bat in that position? It makes sense.

“People want to know if there is anything else [to it]but that’s true.”

Labuschagne added that Smith was a natural fit for the position.

“I think it’s his ability to read game situations and adapt his game to whatever the game needs,” he said. “At No. 4 you have to be able to play spin, work when you need to push, when you need to catch and when you need to go through a difficult spell. That has always been his strength.”

“I don’t know if he was serious or joking. It’s always hard to tell,” he chuckled. “I don’t know what to do with that.”

Warner also hinted at the possibility of Labuschagne moving up the order to fill the void, an idea Test No. 3 answered it directly.

“I will hit wherever they tell me to hit. Right now I can say that the way I played at number 3 was very successful,” he said.

“Hopefully it should be successful, but that’s where I hit. If [selectors] I think I have to move and that’s very good for the team that’s what’s going to happen, but at the moment I think they’ve made it clear that they’re going to underestimate the opening lane. Who that is…it’s anyone’s guess. It’s a very open field.”

New South Wales teenager Sam Konstas, Victorian opener Marcus Harris and suddenly out-of-form Western Australia Cameron Bancroft are the three professional openers in contention and will all line up for Australia A against India A next week.