Who will open for Australia? Who should open Australia? Should Steven Smith continue at the top of the order or go back to number four? These questions have surrounded the Australian Test schedule for a while, and are gaining momentum ahead of India’s tour of Australia next month.
“Steve Smith called to be able to open, and I think he should stay there”. This is the decision from Shane Watson as the clock ticks down for the year-end Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“Obviously his safety blanket will go back to No. 4, but I’d like to see him continue to open up his spot because he has the ability to do it,” Watson said on the sidelines of the meeting. The International Masters League was launched in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Smith’s rise following David Warner’s retirement after the New Year’s Test against Sydney has been the subject of widespread debate, with no winners. Watson himself had backed Cameron Green to succeed as Test opener before Smith’s promotion, but he was convinced by Green’s other performance – linked with a match-best 174 not out against New Zealand in Wellington.
“Cameron Green came in and hit number 4 and did a great job,” said Watson. “His century in New Zealand was very special and he’s a perfect No.4 now for the future, going forward.”
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Australia’s situation has gotten even tougher as they sweat Green’s availability in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which starts in Perth on November 22. The 25-year-old flew home from the UK after finishing third. ODI against England after complaining of lower back pain. He suffered four stress fractures before the start of the 2020 Test but the nature of his injury has not yet been confirmed. Cricket Australia’s medical team has been carefully examining the scans for the past two weeks to plan his recovery with the announcement of his availability for the India series expected this week.
Smith’s four Tests as an opener so far have yielded 171 runs – more than half of which came in one innings against the West Indies – at an average of 28.50, but Watson thinks that is not a problem caused by his batting position.
“I believe that the reason why I didn’t do well in the last few games was right [that] he was a little too far away with his plan,” said Watson. “You see [saw] coming out in a few ways I’ve never seen him come out before.
“I know he would have time to go, make some small changes, and if he opens up and makes those small changes, he can be incredibly successful as an opening batsman knowing the incredible ability he has.”
“I’m a culture lover. Growing up, the Gabba was always the first Test match and that’s the Test match I used to go to,” said the former Australia player before highlighting the challenge the Gabba poses to visiting teams.
“The Gabba is a very challenging place to play for foreign teams because there’s bounce, there’s seam, there’s swing, and it’s hot and humid. So it provides a few challenges, whereas Perth, for example, doesn’t have the humidity. The ball doesn’t spin too much, it doesn’t seam too much.
“I’ve always liked the Gabba as a place for the visiting team to come in and have to try to cope with Australia’s conditions at a very difficult time.”
The ‘Gabbatoir’ has been an Australian staple for decades, with Australia boasting a 16-2 losing record in Tests in Brisbane over the past 20 years. But the fort was later breached. West Indies won by 8 runs in January, and India won the 2020-21 series by handing Australia their first Test defeat at the Gabba in 32 years. The stadium is also nearing the end of its useful life with CA only signing a two-year deal to play Test matches while there are doubts about the Gabba’s viability beyond that as Brisbane needs improved infrastructure to host the 2032 Olympic games.
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