Australia opener Usman Khawaja has asked for a change in Steve Smith’s batting position ahead of the five-match Test series against India.
The five-Test series, known as the Border-Gavaskar series, will start in late November and will continue till January.
Khawaja, who has been Australia’s Test opener for a long time, stressed that Smith’s success in red-ball cricket came while batting at No. 4 and this is where he should bat against India.
“I’m not sure what the top six is going to be this summer. I’ve always loved Steve Smith batting at No. 4, I haven’t shied away from that. I know Steve Smith can score runs at one, two, three, four, five, or six, but the man averages 60 at four, so my preference has always been Smudge (Steve Smith) at four," Khawaja said while talking to Fox Cricket.
“I love seeing him come in at No. 4 … you get two wickets, and who do you get walking in? The best batsman in the world. When you put him up to open, I feel like you’re kind of giving them a chance to get at him early,” he said.
However, since David Warner retired from international cricket, Smith earlier expressed his desire to bat up higher in red-ball cricket but things did not go his way.
In eight Tests played as an opener, Smith has only scored 171 runs at an average of 28.50. His only notable knock was 91 not out in the day-night Test against West Indies at Gabba which the Aussies lost courtesy of Shamar Joseph’s dream spell with the ball.
- Steve Smith
