Cricket news 2024: Mystery surrounds Test team make-up amid Smith rumours

The race for the remaining spot at the top of Australia’s Test side has gotten murkier with Steve Smith’s start to the summer delayed, pushing back a public reveal of the first XI.

Steve Smith is unlikely to appear in the first round of the Sheffield Shield, delaying any public reveal about where Australian selectors are planning for him to bat in the Test side this summer.

The news that Cameron Green had left the Aussies’ UK tour with a back injury cast further doubt over whether Smith would retain his spot as Test opener for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Cricket Australia is yet to elaborate on its initial statement about the all-rounder’s injury, however should the West Australian be ruled out of any of the Test series it would allow Smith to slot back into the No. 4 role and allow Australia to pick a specialist opener to accompany Usman Khawaja.

The desire for Green to return to the Test team had been a key part of the reason why Smith had moved to the top in the first place after a vacancy arose in January following David Warner’s retirement.

But Smith’s patchy output in the role has led to months of speculation about whether he would stay in the spot for the series against India. There have been no moves to douse the flames in recent months. Smith first told this masthead that opening was “just a position to me” and that he was unfazed about where he batted, in contrast to his eagerness to take on the job nine months ago.

Cameron Green injured his back in the Aussies recent tour of England. Picture: AFP

NSW coach Greg Shipperd has indicated that the Blues will bat Smith wherever the national selectors prefer, while Aussie coach Andrew McDonald said NSW would be informed of the national plans ahead of Smith’s Shield involvement.

However it’s understood Smith is not likely to play for the Blues in their Shield opener against South Australia at Sydney’s Cricket Central, a match starting next Tuesday.

Smith, 35, is instead poised to make his red-ball return against Victoria at the MCG in the Shield’s second round from October 20 to 23.

Andrew McDonald has a big summer coming up with selection. Picture: Getty Images

That match has also been earmarked as a first-class hitout for at least two of Australia’s three frontline quicks: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. It could also mark a rare state appearance for Glenn Maxwell as he pushes for a Test return in Sri Lanka next year.

Khawaja has backed Travis Head to be elevated to the top, although Head would not seriously engage in the matter when asked about it following his century against England in the first one-dayer at Trent Bridge.

McDonald said that selectors were planning on keeping the same personnel within the top six, with only the order subject to change.

Will Steve Smith open the batting for Australia this summer? Picture: Getty Images

That however was before the Green injury. It is conceivable that Green could play as a specialist batter, although that would increase Australia’s reliance on Mitch Marsh to be a fifth bowling option.

Marsh returned to bowl competitively for the first time since this year’s IPL during the fourth ODI against England before missing Australia’s series-clinching win at Bristol on Sunday night through soreness.

Matt Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Nic Maddinson are the frontrunners should Australia call upon a specialist opener, while WA’s Aaron Hardie and Tasmanian Beau Webster are all-round options should Green be ruled out.

Head’s Shield availability remains something of a moving feast given wife Jess is expecting the couple’s second child in the coming weeks.

Smith played all five one-dayers against England, making 60 in game three and making an unbeaten 36 to help the Aussies to victory in the decider, a game in which he filled in as captain for Marsh.

Head was named player of the series after making several telling contributions with bat and ball.

Originally published as Cricket news 2024: Mystery surrounds Test team make-up amid Smith rumours