Australia v West Indies: Who will replace David Warner? The stats that say Steve Smith’s the man

Steve Smith wants to be Australia’s next Test opener. But, if that’s not enough to convince you, there’s a small mountain of evidence that says he’s the man for the job, writes Robert Craddock.

If Steve Smith was allowed to do a video presentation of why he should be Australia’s next opener he would win the job in the canter.

Smith could start by addressing selectors George Bailey, Tony Dodemaide and Andrew McDonald with a key message.

“Do you know gentleman I have found that when I was batting at three in Tests and a wicket fell early the challenge of it all seemed to electrify my senses and bring something special out of me.’’

At this point he would switch on the projector and back up his words with stone cold facts on the overhead transparency.

The little stats package on the screen would reveal that when Smith batted in Tests and a wicket or two fell inside the first two overs bringing Smith to the crease early he averaged a whopping 106 in six innings.

When he has come in inside the first five overs, batting at either No.3 or No.4, he has 1257 runs at 57 and when called to the crease between overs six to 10 he has four centuries and an average of 66.

In his 17 Test matches batting No.3 for Australia, Smith averaged 67.07. When broken down further, he scored 1183 runs at 69.5 when called upon in the first 10 overs and 561 at 62.33 when brought to the crease after that point.

Smith’s record when coming in in the early overs for Australia is exceptional. Picture: Getty

In the 47 innings he has come to the crease for Australia inside the first 10 overs he has scored nine centuries, 12 half centuries and just the one duck.

“The stats don’t lie,’’ Smith could say to the panel.

“Everyone writes that I am often at my best when things are tough and the game sort of comes back to the pace I like. It’s true.

“I have done some of my best work in Tests when I am a glorified opener. And the thing is, I want to do this job.’’

And that, perhaps, is the most significant point of all.

If Smith had no interest in opening we would not even dream about writing this story because, as he enters the final few years of his career, he has every right to stay where he is at number four.

But the fact that he wants to move up to opener – Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head don’t – is hugely significant. Australia needs Smith to stay around for two more years to be the link man between generations.

He is playing like a man who could do with a fresh challenge. To ignore his plea to open is to risk hastening a retirement which could come too soon for Australia’s best interests.

Smith has struggled for form in the middle order this year - and Australia risks forcing him into an early retirement if they ignore his plea. Picture: Getty

That Test cricket is inherently such a conservative game is partly the reason why there is such strong opposition to Smith opening among past players.

It’s a shame. He could do it well and the beautiful bonus would be that Cameron Green could slot into the team in the position he craves – number four.

Smith has been a stunning successful Test batsman but at the moment he is stagnating with his returns well below their best.

In an interview with Mark Waugh on Fox Cricket he spoke about how he gets more nervous now mulling over innings that he used to in his youth when he just went out and batted.

The way to combat this would be to send him in early. Give him a fresh challenge by throwing him in the path of Jasprit Bumrah next summer.

Electrify those senses again.

Originally published as Australia v West Indies: Who will replace David Warner? The stats that say Steve Smith’s the man