New Delhi: As Australia prepares for their upcoming Test series against the West Indies, a surprising twist in the batting order has stirred debate and caution from former Test captain Ian Chappell as he has advised Australia against moving Steven Smith up the batting order, emphasising the importance of preserving the middle-order strength.
Smith will open against the West Indies in Adelaide Test match starting from January 17, after chief selector George Bailey picked specialist Matthew Renshaw in the squad on Wednesday but revealed he won’t make the final XI.
Smith has never opened the batting in his 187 Test innings. He averages an enviable 61.50 batting at No.4, and that increases to 67.07 from 29 innings when at No.3.
While Smith has expressed his willingness to open, boasting a remarkable average at No.4, Chappell raises concerns about the potential compromise to Australia’s middle order, which traditionally features the best batter in the first or second drop. Chappell, with his wealth of experience, firmly believes in the significance of positions three and four in the batting order.
“The first thing I’d say about opening is you’ve got to want to do it,” Chappell told Wide World of Sports.
“Smith has said he wants to do it, which means he has a good feeling about the position. If you think he’s the best man for the job, well then you give it to him.”
“We don’t want to piss around with three and four, or do we want to leave it the way it is and try to pick an opener (at the top)? This is one of the difficulties of the decision,” remarks Chappell, highlighting the challenge faced by the selectors.
Historical comparisons, including the likes of Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, and Brian Lara, who rarely ventured into opening, further support Chappell’s stance on the sanctity of positions three and four.
But while Chappell has no issue with Smith putting his hand up to fill David Warner’s spot in the order, he is concerned the Aussies are compromising their batting lower down.
Ricky Ponting – Australia’s most prolific ever batter – never opened in a 168-Test career.
Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar opened only once in 200 Tests, while Brian Lara from the West Indies opened twice in 131 matches.
“You don’t piss around with No.3 or No.4, in my book. They are two vital positions in the order,” Chappell said.
“They’ve got to be blokes who are very good in those positions. At the moment Australia is well served with (Marnus) Labuschagne at three and Smith at four.
The perplexing aspect for Chappell lies in understanding why Smith, at 34, suddenly desires to open. He suggests that selectors should delve into the cricketer’s motivation, whether it’s to benefit the team or to prolong his own career.
The suggestion was first made by former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson at a speaking event ahead of the SCG Test, and then Smith confirmed his interest days later to the media.
“If he suddenly says ‘I want to open’, as a selector I’d be wanting to find out why he wants to open,” Chappell said.
“Is he doing it because he thinks he can help the team? Which if he is, that’s terrific. Or is he doing it because he thinks that might improve his longevity in the game?
Australian captain Pat Cummins, expressing satisfaction with Smith at four, aligns with Chappell’s sentiments. The former captain advocates for a private conversation with Smith to understand the rationale behind the decision rather than making it a public spectacle.
“It was interesting to note that (Australian captain Pat) Cummins said ‘I’m very happy with Smith at four’ – I take my hat off to Pat, because he’s worked out we’ve got a four who is very good, we don’t want to mess with the position. I agree with those sentiments.
“So as a selector I’d be trying to figure out, why does Smith want to open? And there’s only one way you can get that answer, that’s from the bloke himself. And you’ve got to do it in a private conversation, not with the world
As the series against the West Indies looms, the intriguing question of Steve Smith’s role in the batting order adds an unexpected layer of complexity to Australia’s preparations. Australia’s two-Test series against the West Indies begins on January 17 in Adelaide.
–IANS