Smith Replaces David Warner As Australian Opener
Former Australian Test captain Steve Smith has been officially named as the team’s new opening batsman in red-ball cricket, taking over the role from David Warner.
Smith is set to debut as an opener in Tests during the upcoming three-match series against the West Indies starting on January 17.
Australia’s chief selector, George Bailey, confirmed Smith’s new position, emphasizing that it signifies a significant chapter in Smith’s career, expressing his enthusiasm for the change. Bailey mentioned that Smith may continue in the opening role until his retirement, emphasizing that this decision is not a one-time experiment.
“In a tongue-in-cheek manner, I could say everything’s an experiment. That’s been part of the discussions with Steve; I believe he’s keen for this to be a significant chapter of his career,” Bailey stated, according to Fox Sports.
While acknowledging that they don’t look too far into the future, Bailey indicated that Smith is genuinely interested in sustaining this role.
Smith himself expressed his eagerness to take on the opening position, stating, “I’m pretty keen if that’s what they want to do. I’m sure the selectors and Ron [Andrew McDonald] and Patty [Cummins] will have a chat after this game, but yeah, I’m certainly interested for sure.”
The Australia squad for the WI vs AUS Test series-:
Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, and Matt Renshaw.