Mitchell Johnson questions Steve Smith promotion and adds fuel to Cameron Bancroft conspiracy theory

Mitchell Johnson has questioned Steve Smith’s promotion to opener, and weighed in on the controversial omission of Cameron Bancroft in his latest fiery column.

Mitchell Johnson has questioned Steve Smith’s promotion to opener, claiming selectors deserved to be asked whether Cameron Bancroft was the victim of a vendetta.

The snubbing of Bancroft has triggered a “Sandgropergate’’ scandal in Perth with locals furious that their opener has missed a berth in the Test side to face the West Indies in Adelaide.

In his weekly column for Perth’s Sunday Times published on The West Australian’s website, Johnson said Smith had “long been the glue’’ of Australia’s top order at No 4 and he could not understand the logic for changing things.

Steve Smith has been given first crack at replacing David Warner. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

“You can’t help but wonder why George Bailey and the selection panel have gone this way,’’ Johnson wrote.

“Do they feel Smith hasn’t been at his best and they think this could be a good change for him?

“There are reports that Smithy doesn’t like sitting and waiting to bat, but he has done that most of his career at fourth in the order — and he’s been pretty good at it.

“Is it purely to fit Cam Green back in and give him a shot at No.4? I’m not a big fan of this way.

“You always want your best players at third and fourth in the order. It’s a really interesting way of selection and anything could happen.’’

Cameron Bancroft remains on the outside looking in. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Selection chairman Bailey, who fell out with Johnson earlier this season following Johnson’s comments Bailey was too close to the players, strongly denied at his press conference the panel or any player had any lingering bad vibes towards Bancroft following his fallout with the bowlers for comments he made about the Sandpapergate scandal.

“Bailey says there is no issue or vendetta, but you can’t blame Bancroft — or the public — for questioning this, if he is claiming the selection panel didn’t consider the specialist opener among the nation’s seven-best batters.

“It’s obviously a confusing message for the West Australian, who has scored the most runs out of all those openers considered and done it over the past couple of years, so any questions around this are fair.’’

Originally published as Mitchell Johnson questions Steve Smith promotion and adds fuel to Cameron Bancroft conspiracy theory