Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta shared his conversations with former Australian captain Steve Smith about his batting position in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well. However, Dasgupta claimed that Smith is thinking about opening in the five-match Test series against India, leaving his No. 4 place in Tests.
However, Smith has played as an opener for Australia following David Warner’s retirement earlier this year. He has managed just 171 runs in eight innings with the best score of an unbeaten 91 against the West Indies as well. Smith also opens in Big Bash League (BBL) and Major League Cricket (MLC) but Dasgupta added that Test cricket is a completely different ball game.
He told Talksport (via Hindustan Times): “I bumped into him recently and I asked him ‘You opening? What’s that about? And I did ask him ‘Are you going to open against India as well?’ And he said, ‘yeah, I am thinking about it’. I said ‘yeah, you should, why not?’ Because it’s quite baffling.””If you’re an Indian, you’d be happy to see Steve Smith opening. You don’t want to see Steve Smith batting at 4 or down the order because it’s baffling. Almost the peak of his career he’s done so well over so many years batting at that number. Starting to open? It’s a different ball game you know.”
ALSO READ: “Shubman’s captaincy is very good” – Ravi Bishnoi on Shubman Gill
“Anyone who has played any level of cricket will tell you that middle order in Test cricket and opening are two very different jobs. When you’re coming in to bat with 20 overs bowled and with a new ball, they’re very different,” he again shared.
However, Deep Dasgupta also said that he is surprised with Australia playing Steve Smith as an opener despite his poor numbers in Test cricket.
“I can understand that he’s not scoring runs and you’re trying to still find a place for him. That’s the only spot available. Stuff like ‘We can only fit you in there so why don’t you try that position’. But that wasn’t the case, was it? I don’t know. I found it very surprising. I’ve heard other teams doing it but not Australia. There is a plan behind everything they have done the years,” he concluded.
