‘Uzzy and Marnus prefer me at four’: Smith’s teammates didn’t want him to open

Steve Smith revealed that top-order compatriots Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne didn’t want him to open the batting before agreeing with Australia’s captain Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald to drop down the order.

As the team digested the news that Cameron Green will miss this summer’s India clash after choosing to have back surgery, selection chair George Bailey confirmed that Smith had changed his mind after a bruising experience at the top of the order against West Indies and New Zealand. Bailey also declared that teenager Sam Konstas is “in the mix” for Test selection this summer.

Steve Smith opening the batting in New Zealand earlier this year.Credit: Getty Images

Speaking to this masthead before the change was confirmed, Smith was open about disagreements in the ranks about his best position. Opener Khawaja had declared he believed Smith’s best position was still number four, and Smith said Labuschagne also had reservations.

“I think if you speak to ‘Uzzy’ and Marnus they prefer me batting at four. I think they just like me being after them, in a way,” Smith said. “Then it’s up to the powers [that be], the coach and captain to see where they want me to bat, and I’ll bat there.

“In terms of opening, three or four ... the only real difference I see is you have less time. You’ve got 10 minutes to get out there and it’s a bit of a rush, particularly for someone who mucks around and has as many things in the changeroom to get ready as I do.”

Bailey said the Smith conversation – between him, Cummins and head coach and selector McDonald – had started before discussions about Green’s fitness and the best shape of the batting order to face India. While Smith had also indicated he would bat where the team needed him most, Cummins and McDonald concluded that this was no longer at the top of the order.

“Pat, Andrew and Steven Smith have been having ongoing conversations separate to the untimely injury to Cameron anyway, and Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position,” Bailey said on Monday. “Pat and Andrew have confirmed he’ll be dropping back down the order for the summer. Clearly we’ve got a number four spot to fill and an opening spot to fill.

“Thinking back to the decision for Steve to go to the top of the order, [that] was firmly with an eye to get Cam Green back into the line-up and getting what we considered our best six batters into the same line-up. Like anything, that can adjust, depending on what’s available, conditions and who you’re coming up against as well.

“You’re always trying to adjust for the individual to give them the best chance of success, but also around what the need needs as well. Steve referenced that on going up to the top of the order last year – at that time it was the best option for the team. That’s something you’re constantly looking at.”

Mitch Marsh and Travis Head will miss November’s ODI series against Pakistan on paternity leave.

All-rounder Green was briefed on the surgical option, to be performed in New Zealand, by Cricket Australia medical staff on Thursday afternoon and took time at the weekend with those close to him before choosing to go under the knife.

Cameron Green.Credit: Getty Images

“Whilst spine stress fractures are not unusual in pace bowlers, Cam has a unique defect in an adjacent area to the fracture that is believed to be contributing to the injury,” a CA spokesperson said.

“After thorough consultation it was determined Cameron would benefit from the surgery to stabilise the defect and reduce the risk of future recurrence. The decision to proceed to surgery is with Cameron’s long-term future as an all-rounder in mind.”

Recovery times vary for a procedure previously performed on the likes of James Pattinson, Shane Bond, Matt Henry and Jason Behrendorff, but there is no chance of Green appearing in a Test match on home soil before next summer’s Ashes series.

So far in his international career, Green has been a batting all-rounder with his bowling loads carefully managed due to historical back issues – he suffered multiple stress fractures in his early days in junior and state ranks when he was primarily a bowler.

Scans had cleared Green of any back trouble in mid-year, but he complained of discomfort after an ODI against England in Durham where he bowled six overs of largely short-pitched deliveries as Australia chased a series-sealing win.

Further scans in London showed signs of a stress fracture, and Green took the next plane home to Perth as CA medical staff weighed up his options.

Had he chosen not to have surgery, Green would have been available for at least some of the India series. This was a scenario discussed by the Australian selectors last week, before Green began to lean towards a procedure which, while not risk-free, offers him a chance to bowl far more overs in future.

Marsh, who has recently become a father for the first time, and Head, who is expecting his second child with wife Jess, will be missing from the Pakistan games that precede the Tests against India.

Konstas, meanwhile, will be joined by fellow NSW batter Ollie Davies in an Australia A squad that also features the likes of Beau Webster, Cameron Bancroft, Cooper Connolly and Marcus Harris.

“I don’t know if we’d ever throw someone in the deep end, so to speak, if we make a selection it’s because we think the player is ready to play, or not going to sink, using that analogy,” Bailey said of Konstas. “Referring to Sam, he’s had a good start, he’s five games into his first-class career. He looks really organised and composed at the crease.

“He’s in the mix, as are plenty of others, I certainly don’t want to single him out. I don’t think there’s any need to put any undue pressure or expectation on Sam … he’s got a well-organised game that we’re really excited to see at the A level, and we’ll continue to watch as that progresses.”

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa.

Australia A squad: Nathan McSweeney (capt), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jordan Buckingham, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Davies, Marcus Harris, Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Jimmy Peirson, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Mark Steketee and Beau Webster.

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