Pat Cummins responds to talk of Steve Smith replacing Warner as Australia’s next Test opener
Australia will soon learn if the bold plan to have Steve Smith succeed David Warner as Australia’s Test opener will come to fruition – and now captain Pat Cummins has had his say.
Pat Cummins has poured cold water on the chances of Steve Smith replacing David Warner at the top of the Australian Test team batting order.
Although he said no decision had been made and it was a matter for the selectors to choose the next opener, Cummins did make it clear he would prefer Smith and the other middle order batters all remained in their current positions.
“I think the selectors are catching up (on Saturday) or (Sunday) around the one-day squads and obviously the next Test match,” Cummins said.
“I haven’t had too many long conversations with them but obviously Marnus (Labuschagne) and Smudge (Smith) and Travis (Head) and (Mitchell) Marsh in more recent tours have been pretty impressive at three, four, five and six and Kez (Alex Carey) at seven.
“So first instinct isn’t probably to disrupt that, but we’ll work it out.”
Smith currently bats at four, the position he has spent the majority of his time at.
He did start his Test career as a lower order batter bowling leg spin and has occupied every position from three to nine but he has never opened.
However, with the national selectors needing a new opener after Warner’s retirement, Smith has volunteered to move up the order and face the new ball.
Cummins did not rule it out completely but said his preference was to bring in a fresh replacement, essentially giving hope to Cameron Green, Marcus Harris or Cameron Bancroft.
“I’m pretty happy with his output at number four. If he’s desperate to try up the order well maybe we’re open to it, so we’ll work through that,” Cummins said.
“But I feel like there’s enough challenges in Test cricket wherever you bat. The World Cup was a really good lesson in that no-one owns a spot in the batting order, just like some days we might mix up who opens the bowling. But it’s good to hear people are open to trying new things.”
Cummins said he does not think Warner’s replacement needs to be a specialist opener, citing Usman Khawaja as an example of middle-order batter who has excelled after being moved to the top of the order.
“I think he was batting at four for his Shield side when he came up and he’s been just about the best opening batter in the world over the last couple of years so I think he’s a great example,” Cummins said.
“You pick your best batting line-up, who you think’s going to score the most runs.
“Pretty simply, I don’t think you have to pick an opener who opens the batting in Shield cricket.
“There’s been plenty of games where Marnus or Smithy have walked out pretty early on in the game.
“They show that they can play a swinging ball, they can be an opening batter, so the same goes for other guys who bat in the middle order so I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule.”
Warner agreed, though he would not be drawn on who should take his spot, saying there were plenty of strong candidates who had the ability to bat anywhere.
“I wasn’t an opener, I had to learn on the run, that was something that I had to do,” Warner said.
“It was challenging, but I think from my perspective, my game is to be attacking and my defence takes care of itself.
“A traditional opener will look to go out there and look to leave length, play the ball on its merit and probably not be as aggressive. Can you develop as a batsman if you’ve not opened? I think you can. At this level you’ll adjust.
“I’ve always said this, the higher the level you play, the easier it gets because you know where the bowler is going to pitch the ball. But the repetitive nature of where the ball is and how you’re gonna have to score off that is the hardest part.
“I think there’s a lot of good credentials out there at the moment that can actually take that position. It’s whether the selectors want someone who goes after the ball a bit more, someone that’s in the squad at the moment or a guy that is actually a traditional opening batsman.”
PONTING’S DOUBTS AS SMITH DECLARES: ‘I’M HAPPY TO OPEN’
By Lachlan McKirdy
Steve Smith has confirmed he is happy to throw his hat into the ring to replace David Warner at the top of the Australian order.
As Warner prepares for his final innings in Test cricket on Saturday, attention will quickly turn to who will take his place alongside Usman Khawaja.
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson floated the idea of Smith opening the batting as a chance to give one of the greatest batters in the game a new challenge.
And now the 34-year-old has suggested he is interested in the idea.
“I’m actually happy to go up the top,” Smith said on ABC Radio after day three at the SCG.
“I’m sure the selectors and Ron (coach Andrew McDonald) and Patty (Pat Cummins) will have a chat after this game, but I am certainly interested. For sure.”
Across his 186 innings at Test level, the highest Smith has ever come to the crease is at No.3. However, it is also the position where he has the highest average, currently at 67.07.
The move would also allow the Australians to bring Cameron Green back into the order and build on the impressive start to his Test career.
While it would be new ground for Smith, his teammate Alex Carey would back him in to rise to the occasion.
“I think Steve can bat wherever he wants,” Carey said.
“He’s probably proved in his career, that whatever challenge is thrown at him he’s found a way to succeed.
“[It’s] big shoes to fill though and whoever gets the opportunity, no doubt will do a great job. We’ve got some great openers doing a fantastic job with obviously a few other names thrown up there.
“Smudge putting his hat in the ring, if he was to get the call up he would do a great job, no doubt. He’s faced the new ball a number of times. So yeah, I think he’s pretty good at Test cricket.”
While the move has received plenty of support, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was less open to the idea.
He believes that moving Smith from a No. 4 where he has made nearly 6,000 Test runs would be detrimental to the overall balance of the team.
“I wouldn’t like to see him move from his number four position, to be honest,” Ponting said on Channel 7.
“All this conversation is all about is how do we possibly get Cameron Green back into the side. And if they’re going to do it, as far as I’m concerned it has to be with the least disruption to the batting order as it is.
“Smith and Labuschagne have been magnificent at three and four, they’ve been the backbone of Australia’s batting for the last three or four years since Labuschagne came into the team, and I wouldn’t like to see that disrupted, to be honest.
“Let’s wait and see … I’m putting my hand up, I said it a few weeks ago I think it should be Cameron Bancroft the man to get that chance.”
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