Smith remains unfazed about opening challenge in Tests
Steve Smith is expected to take the opener’s role once again in the five-Test series against India at home later in the year.
Smith took over the vacant opener slot following the retirement of David Warner and featured in the role for over four Tests.
Since taking on the role of opener, Smith has encountered his fair share of challenges, averaging just 28.5. However, he also demonstrated potential in the role with a gritty 91* in the second Test against West Indies in Brisbane.
Australia batter Steve Smith scored a century in the first innings and backed it up in the field at the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023
Smith himself, though, isn't too fussed about his batting position at the moment.
“You’ll have to ask the men in charge but I’m not fussed either way,” Smith was quoted as saying by Code Sports.
Smith, however, did suggest that he hadn’t maximised his output in the position yet, with just one half-century from six innings.
High praise from Virat Kohli for the indomitable Steve Smith.
“Some challenging conditions with the new ball, in particular. So I would have liked to score a few more runs," Smith added.
“That’s the game sometimes but I played pretty well in the second innings at the Gabba where we couldn’t get over the line, unfortunately. It’s just a position to me so it doesn’t really faze me too much.”
Smith's composure, though, has been tested in a different format in recent times. The 35-year-old, who didn't make the cut in Australia's T20 World Cup 2024 squad, lamented the lack of opportunity in T20Is, having played just four matches in the shortest format since the 2022 edition of the tournament.
"I don’t know about international T20 stuff. You’ll have to ask the selectors there," Smith noted.
“I was disappointed not to be in the World Cup but that’s the way things go. They wanted all the big hitters.”
Smith did go on to shine in the Major League Cricket in USA, where he was the leading performer (336 runs at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 148.67) for the title-winning Washington Freedom.
On the back of this solid run, the Aussie star was positive about his IPL prospects.
“I’d love to be part of the IPL again, for sure. I’ll be putting my name in the hat so just have to keep scoring runs. You never know, we’ll see what happens.”
On the ICC Review, Ricky Ponting, who was the head coach of Washington Freedom in the recent season, also stated that the decision regarding Smith's position in Tests would depend on how he viewed the situation going forward.
“[The question is] not whether Smith's the right man to open the batting but whether he thinks it's the right spot for him. Because I think if he doesn't think it's the right spot then they'll make a change and get someone else back up there,” Ponting had said.
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Smith is a part of the Australia ODI squad for the upcoming tour of England, which will be followed by the five-Test home series against India.
ALSO SEE – Latest World Test Championship Standings
India currently lead the World Test Championship points table with a point percentage of 68.52, whereas Australia are right behind them with a point percentage of 62.5.