Australia is on the hunt for a new Test opener to fill the shoes of the legendary David Warner, who retired from Test and ODI cricket recently. The Australian selectors are set to unveil the new opener for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies on Monday, January 8.
The Australian team faces a dilemma as they have several strong contenders in Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh, along with the experienced Steve Smith, for the coveted position in the Test side.
Apart from these players from the current line-up, Australia also have Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, and Cameron Bancroft, who have opened for Australia in the past, to fill in for Warner at the top order.
However, Australian Test captain Pat Cummins is cautious about considering Smith for the opening role, saying he is happy with his valuable contribution in the middle order.
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Pat Cummins told media at the SCG: “I’m pretty happy with (Smith’s) output at No. 4. Obviously Marnus, Smudge [Smith], Trav and Marsh have been pretty impressive at Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6. So first instinct isn’t probably to disrupt that.”
Cummins further explained, “It’s obviously going to be really hard to replicate Davey and what he’s brought to it. I think you look for who is best placed to score runs, really. But I think, in Test cricket, some things remain true – and that is you’ve got to be putting the pressure on the opposition. You’ve got to be ticking over the scoreboard. Not always – but most of the time – you’ve got to keep the scoreboard moving along.”
Meanwhile, speaking on the idea of promoting Smith as an opener, Labuschagne told SEN: “He (Smith) averages 58 at five, 61 at four, and 67 at three – so it seems like the higher he goes, the more he averages. I’ve got no doubt if that’s the way we go, he will do very well.”
Labuschagne signed off by saying, “He really wants it, he wants that motivation… waiting to bat is not his forte; he wants to get out there straightaway.”
(With News18 Inputs)
