Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has raised questions about whether the move of pushing Steve Smith up to opener from his customary No.4 position will work against India. However, Australia are slated to play a five-match Test series at home against India at the end of the year. Smith moving to the top of the order after David Warner’s retirement has meant the attacking duo of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh would play in the Aussie middle order as well.
In his column for ESPN Cricinfo, Chappell wrote, “The reason both Marsh and Head vigorously attack the opposition is because their aggression covers up their technical failings. Their aggression has worked against the lesser sides, but will it succeed against strong sides like India? If Marsh and Head have to try and dig Australia out of trouble against Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj, that will be a concern. Rest assured a vulnerable Australian top order will find itself in trouble if that Indian trio is fit and firing.”
However, David Warner retired after the home series against Pakistan, which Australia convincingly won 3-0 as well. Despite winning three of the four Tests the Aussies faced a shocking defeat to the West Indies at Brisbane as well.
“Australia’s bowling, which features a settled and successful top four, is a major plus, but the batting is a concern for the current World Test champions. They are missing the ebullient David Warner’s ability to harass opponents with his aggression as an opener,” added Chappell.
However, Ian Chappell believes Steve Smith is best suited to batting at No.4 as well. Smith has struggled since becoming a Test opener,
averaging 28.50 with only one half-century in four Tests. Smith also boasts an incredible record at No.4 in Tests, averaging over 61 in
111 innings, including 19 centuries as well.
“Smith is still Australia’s best batter but at No. 4, not opening. Smith, like all players, is more vulnerable against the new ball. He’ll occasionally succeed because he’s a very good player, but he’s unlikely to produce the consistently high scores he did in his heyday in the middle. By promoting Steven Smith to open so they could include two allrounders, they are now left with a query at the top and an overabundance of aggression in the middle order. The preference is to have a strong top six, but it’s ideal when that batting order is balanced,” Ian Chappell concluded.
