ADELAIDE: Steve Smith stated on Sunday that he felt compelled to take David Warner’s place as Australia’s Test opener, but he also acknowledged that it worked out well for him since he became tired of waiting to bat at four.
After Warner announced his retirement from Test cricket this month, the 34-year-old veteran was an unexpected choice to take over for the opening team ahead of Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, and Cameron Bancroft.
He will pad up in his new job for the first time in the opening Test of a two-match series against the West Indies in Adelaide, which starts on Wednesday.
“It didn’t feel right to have Cameron Green in the side, even though the selectors were clearly eager to have him play our best six hitters.
“I’ve played for a long time and I’m an experienced player, and I think it’s something I should have done.”
Recently, Mitchell Marsh, who has taken on the job of all-rounder, has sidelined the highly regarded Green.
Instead of going with a specialist opener, selectors were able to bring back Green largely as a batsman by moving Smith up the order.
Smith disclosed that while he had been considering the concept since the Ashes in England last year, the notion didn’t really come together until this month’s third Test against Pakistan in Sydney.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of getting in and facing the new ball,” he stated.
I’m not very unfamiliar with it. I came in early several times when I batted, and I spent a good amount of time at number three.”
Smith, the former captain who has amassed 9,514 runs from 105 Test matches, said that he liked to bat first and that this allowed him to come in early.
“I actually don’t like watching cricket that much, believe it or not,” he stated.
“I’d rather be in the batter’s box. I don’t have to do that anymore, but sitting there with the pads on gets a little monotonous.”
