Now decision is made, Steve Smith can’t go back, according to Ricky Ponting and David Warner
The move to Test opener divided opinion, but after initially thinking he would not fill that slot, Ricky Ponting now thinks that Steve Smith better get use to his new role. And David Warner concurs.
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Australian run-scoring greats Ricky Ponting and David Warner believe Steve Smith must now open the batting for the rest of his Test career.
Smith made the unselfish decision to promote himself to open the batting last summer in order to accommodate rising star Cameron Green at No. 4, but the jury is still out on whether it was the correct call after Smith battled for runs on the most recent Test tour of New Zealand.
As a result, there are ongoing rumblings that selectors could re-tweak the batting order, given it didn’t quite click against the Black Caps, and potentially return 35-year-old Smith to where he has been at his most productive for Australia at No. 3 or 4.
However, Ponting – who was surprised Smith was moved up to open in the first place – believes that Australia and perhaps its greatest batsman since Bradman have ventured down a road where there is no turning back.
“It wasn’t that I wasn’t a fan (of moving Smith to open), I just didn’t expect it was going to happen. I just expected that (Cameron) Bancroft with the body of work that he’d done, would probably get another crack at it,” Ponting said.
“But they went that way to get Green back into the side.
“But I think now that they’ve done it, Steven has to stay there (opening).
“What are you going to do otherwise? Someone has got to go out if you bring someone in.
“There’s not too many spots in that line-up for the immediate future.
“ (Usman) Khawaja and Smith and those guys are not going to be around forever either.
“So it might just be that they stick with that until the end.
“It was a big decision to make at the time and I would imagine they would have had discussions about, ‘if you move up now, then you probably need to stay there for quite a while.’
“I think that’s the way it’ll be.”
Warner said his longest-term teammate and Test match replacement has the pedigree to suggest he can produce a massive run-scoring summer against India over five-Tests starting in November.
However, Warner also agrees that this has to be opening the batting after the landmark decision Smith made to move up to uncharted territory.
This despite the fact some in the game are suggesting Marnus Labuschagne or Travis Head should be promoted to open instead so that Smith can be accommodated away from Jasprit Bumrah and the new ball, and back where he has dominated world cricket.
“He’s one of the greats – if not the greatest – to play our game. For him to put his hand up and go up there, is it the right decision? He thinks it is,” Warner said.
“But my personal opinion if he then doesn’t go as well as he does he can’t just slide back down the (order) with other guys going well.
“I’m pretty sure he’s well aware and understands that.
“He probably thinks he’s doing the right thing for that team and fits someone in like Cameron Green who’s a long term prospect. I think it’s a great move to get him some game time where he might be batting for the rest of his career.”
Warner said Smith has a different approach to his attacking mindset as an opener, but believes Australia does need to be proactive upfront against India.
“It’s important that we remain focused on still trying to score as much as we can in that first couple of sessions,” Warner said.
“It’s probably the first time in a long time where bowlers feel they can settle on a line and length.
“My game plan was always to take them on if I could.
“It will be a great Test series to watch. I know Smudge (Smith) has a very, very good record against India.
“Hopefully he scores 600-700 runs in that series, if not more.
“He’s always had great success against them. Hopefully opening the batting he can bat as long as he can, like he did at four.“
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