Steve Smith, one of Australia’s premier batsmen, recently opened up about his role in the Australian Test team, particularly after stepping into the opening position following David Warner’s retirement earlier this year. Having played four matches as an opener, Smith’s performance has been mixed, averaging 28.5 in this new role. However, he has demonstrated his skill with a notable unbeaten 91 in the second Test against the West Indies in Brisbane.
Despite the impending high-stakes series against India later this year, Smith remains calm about his position in the batting order, emphasizing his willingness to play wherever the team management needs him. “You’d have to ask the team leaders, but I’m not too concerned either way,” Smith mentioned, as reported by Code Sports.
Smith acknowledged that he has not fully capitalized on his opportunities in the opening slot, having scored just one half-century in six innings. He admitted that the conditions, particularly with the new ball, have been challenging, and he would have liked to contribute more runs. “That’s cricket sometimes, but I felt good in the second innings at the Gabba, even though we couldn’t quite finish it off. It’s just another position for me, so it doesn’t bother me too much,” he added.
As for the shorter format, Smith has encountered new challenges, especially after being left out of Australia’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. This exclusion underscored the limited opportunities he’s had in T20Is recently, having played only four matches since the 2022 World Cup.
Addressing his omission from the T20 squad, Smith expressed disappointment but acknowledged the selectors’ preference for power hitters. “I’m not sure about my future in international T20s; that’s a question for the selectors,” he remarked. “I was disappointed not to be in the World Cup squad, but that’s how it goes. They wanted the big hitters.”
However, Smith remains optimistic about his prospects in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Australian batsman revealed his intention to enter the IPL auction later this year, stating, “I’d love to be part of the IPL again. I’ll be putting my name in the auction, so I just need to keep scoring runs. We’ll see what happens.”
