Who said what - top five expert reactions to Steve Smith as Test opener ft. AB de Villiers
Steve Smith, who has thrown his hat in the ring to open the innings for Australia in Test cricket, has opened a new can of worms.
Although the chair of selectors George Bailey has confirmed Smith replacing David Warner as Australia's opener in red-ball cricket, the decision has not gone down well with a lot of pundits across the world.
However, there are a chosen few who have backed Smith to come good at the top of the order in this format of the game. The majority, however, fear that he might not be able to use his feet against the swinging ball and fall prey to his technical deficiencies against good bowling attacks on challenging surfaces.
In this listicle, we bring to you the top five reactions by experts to Cricket Australia's decision to allow Steve Smith to open the innings in Test cricket.
#1 Michael Clarke
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke, who is one of the legends of the game, backed Smith wholeheartedly to open the innings for Australia.
Although his comments came before it was confirmed that Smith would open, Clarke is confident that the latter can take his game to the next level if he does move up the order.
Clarke went as far as to say that Smith can break the world record of 400 runs scored in an innings held by Brian Lara if he opens the batting. According to Clarke, Smith wanted to give himself more time to settle into his innings.
"I'll tell you now about Steve Smith. If he wants to open the batting, he will be the No. 1 Test opener within 12 months. He is that good a player. He is technically good enough, he lets the ball go well, he's got a great eye, he's got beautiful hands. Yes, he might nick the occasional one, he might get LBW but tell me someone that doesn't. He is that good a player, and maybe it is the challenge he is looking for," former Australia captain said on ESPN's Around the Wicket Podcast.
"Smith doesn't want to wait. He doesn't want Warner or Khawaja to make a hundred, or Marnus to make a double hundred. He wants to make a double hundred. So if he open the batting, he will be the best opener within 12 months and the other thing, don't be surprised if he breaks Brian Lara's 400 record. Because he is that good and he's got the whole day," pointed out Clarke.
#2 Matthew Hayden
Quite contrary to the opinion that Michael Clarke voiced above, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden feels that Smith's opening the innings would not help the team in any way.
The burly left-hander also feels that asking Smith to open the innings would not be a part of the plan made by Pat Cummins and the team management.
Hayden opined that Smith will not be able to provide Australia with a concrete foundation at the top of the order, hinting perhaps at the latter's vulnerabilities against the new ball.
“It’s just not going to happen in my opinion. He’s commanded so much respect in the game that we should all listen to what he has to say, but I equally think that’s not the way the Australian cricket team management will go. It certainly doesn’t sound like the way Pat will go,” Hayden told the Sydney Morning Herald before the decision was made.
“I just can’t see how strategically that [Smith opening] is going to work for Cricket Australia. They will need someone more concrete than that. When you look at the success over the last two years of this Test team, it’s been based on a very solid foundation. It’s been such a key structure – that number one to four set in stone has been gold for Cricket Australia," Hayden added.
#3 AB de Villiers
South Africa legend AB de Villiers echoed Hayden's opinion, saying that he did not quite like the idea of Smith opening the innings for Australia in Test cricket.
De Villiers feels that Smith should stick to the No.4 position where he has had the most success over the years. He also sensed that if Smith were to get out early, opposition bowling attacks would have their tails up and be confident of getting the entire Australian side out in a matter of minutes, if not hours.
"I don't know if I agree with this (Smith opening). Where has he got the most success in the past ten years and the highest average of all batters in the past ten years? He has won so many games for Australia. When bowlers pick up 2-3 early wickets, they still know they have to get past Steve Smith, or else he will win the game for his side," said de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
"Smith has a big match temperament. But now if you throw him up the order, suddenly he gets two good nuts and two ducks, he is suddenly not playing an integral part of the glue holding the Australian middle order together. I wouldn't agree with that, but it is upto Cricket Australia to make the decision," he added.
#4 David Warner
David Warner, whose retirement has opened up the vacancy for Smith to take up the role at the top of the order, has backed his good friend wholeheartedly.
Warner, who called time on his career at the end of the New Year's Test in Sydney last week, is a vociferous supporter of Smith, and as expected, he feels that the 34-year-old will respond well to the challenge.
Warner opined that Smith is the best batter in Test cricket and wants to open the innings to face more balls.
“He will do well as an opener. Smith is the world’s best Test batter and I am sure of his success. He has done it in ODIs and T20Is and now it is all about Test cricket. Smith wants to face more balls,” David Warner said on the Club Prairie Fire.
#5 Simon Katich
Former Australia opener Simon Katich, who had a golden patch towards the end of his career, has backed Smith to do well at the top of the order.
As with most experts, Katich feels that if Smith wanted to take the challenge of facing the new ball early on up, he should be allowed to do so.
Katich also said that if Smith goes up to the top of the order, it will free up some space for all-rounder Cameron Green to come in the middle order.
“When you look at Steve Smith’s Test career and his numbers, he’s thrived at number three and four averaging over 60 in both spots. If Steve Smith sees this as a challenge that he wants to take on, I’ve got no problem with that," Katich said on SEN Breakfast.
“He’s probably not in the best form but we know with great players, they’ll find a way. If it means someone like Cameron Green gets back into the team, it allows them to reshuffle,” Katich added.