A reinvigorated Steve Smith says he has not considered what it would mean for his future if the move to Test opener does not pay off for Australia.
Key points:
- Steve Smith says he doesn’t want “negative thoughts at all” ahead of his move to opener
- Smith says he is looking forward to the challenge, and batting against a harder ball with more aggressive fields
- He says he felt responsibility to open so Cameron Green could return to his familiar spot at four
Three days out from the first Test against the West Indies, Smith’s life at the top of the order began when he faced the new ball in the Adelaide Oval nets on Sunday.
One of Australia’s greatest batters, Smith revealed he first flagged the idea of replacing the retiring David Warner as opener during last year’s Ashes.
He mentioned it again last month, but did not believe the idea was taken seriously until talking with coaches during the SCG Test against Pakistan.
Undecided at first, selectors have been won over by a history of players succeeding when going to the top.
But the move doesn’t come without risk.
And the question remains that if Smith does not succeed and Cameron Green excels at number four, what would it mean for the former captain’s place in the side?
“I don’t like thinking that way,” Smith said.
“I don’t want to think negative thoughts at all. I’m not sure.
“If someone gets injured in the middle and the next batters in are genuine openers, then maybe they slot back in (at the top) and I go back down.
“I don’t know the answer. But for right now we’ve got what we believe is our best six batters playing.”
Smith does see significant upside in the move, having only dropped down from number three to number four in 2017 to juggle the demands of captaincy.
The 34-year-old believes he is at his best against the new ball. He averages 106.2 when walking to the wicket in the first two overs.
Warner has also said teams would be unlikely to continue to regularly bounce Smith early in the innings, a tactic that has slowed the right-hander’s scoring in recent years.
Smith agrees.
“It would be pretty game if you’ve got a brand new ball bowling short stuff and wasting it,” Smith said.
“It helps the scoring rate when you’re facing the new ball and there’s a bit more attacking going on.
“Over the last few years I’ve come in after quite a lot of runs, the ball’s a bit softer.
“(They) have a cover in and maybe four on the legside, guys are bowling straight and able to control the scoreboard a little bit more.
“That’s probably kept me quieter and made me face a lot more balls to score runs.
“Perhaps that changes a bit with the new ball. You obviously have a bit more attacking fields and more gaps out there to score runs. I’m looking forward to that.”
Sick of watching and waiting to bat, Smith said a desire to move was partly driven by the idea of a new challenge at this point in his career.
But he also felt it unfair that Green could be forced to open this early in his career if the selectors’ desire to have the all-rounder back in the team landed him there.
“It didn’t sit right having him come in and bat up top,” Smith said.
“I’ve played for a long time and I’m an experienced player and think it’s something that I should have done.
“He’s suited to number four. Plays there in Shield cricket, does well there.”
AAP