Australian opener Usman Khawaja reckons Steve Smith is best suited to bat at number four position in the multi-day format. Smith is open to the challenge of batting anywhere for the team after David Warner’s retirement.
Smith opened in four Test matches against the West Indies and New Zealand but could only manage 171 runs at an average of 28.50.
Meanwhile, Smith has a fantastic record while batting at number four, scoring 5966 runs in 67 Test matches with an impressive average of 61.50, including 19 centuries and thus it makes sense that he bats at his usual position.
“He’ll just probably never say it. So I’ll say it for him. Opening is a very important spot … (but) I still think we have the best Test player of my era in the side, in Steve Smith, and his best spot has been number four. I feel like that’s his best spot. I feel like the best balance for our team is (Marnus) Labuschagne three, Smith four,” Khawaja told Fox Cricket.
After Warner’s retirement, Australia have managed to breach the 300-run mark on a solitary occasion in eight innings.
“For me, the number one consideration is ‘what’s best for the team?’. What order scores us the most runs? And if you look at how many runs we scored with Davey Warner in the team and Smudge batting at four, we scored a lot of runs. With Smudge opening, we’ve still won games, but I don’t think we’ve scored as many runs as we could’ve,” he added.
The left-hander feels Travis Head can open the innings with him in the red-ball format. Head has scored 223 runs while batting as an opener in five Test matches.
“At the end of the day, it’s a decision for the selectors. But if you have me opening, Labuschagne three, Smith four … I feel like Travis Head might be best suited. He’s obviously been very successful opening the batting in one-day cricket and, breaking it down, I’d probably lean towards him. But again, it’s not my decision,” Khawaja opined in the same interaction.
The opening Test match between India and Australia will be played at Perth from November 22 onwards.
