Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has urged selectors to abandon the experiment of using Steve Smith as an opener and instead opt for a specialist opener for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series against India.
Clarke’s suggestion stems from Smith’s struggles at the top of the order since David Warner’s retirement. Smith, who prefers batting at No. 4, has failed to replicate his success as an opener.
With all-rounder Cameron Green ruled out due to injury, Australia faces a shortage of reliable openers. Clarke believes the team should not repeat the mistake of moving Smith to the top and instead select a specialist.
“We made a mistake in getting Steve Smith to open the batting in Test cricket, so let’s not make the same mistake,” Clarke said. “Let’s pick a specialist opener, whoever is best equipped.”
Australia has several options for the opener’s position, including Sam Konstas, Marcus Harris, Josh Inglis, and Nathan McSweeney. However, Clarke expressed skepticism about the latter two, questioning their experience and suitability for the role.
“How can you justify Josh Inglis is a better person to open the batting in a Test match against this Indian attack than a specialist opener?” Clarke asked. “He scored Shield runs, yes, but he bats in the middle order.”
Clarke also highlighted the lack of runs from specialist openers in the current Shield cricket season. He suggested Cameron Bancroft as a potential candidate, citing his consistent performance over the past three seasons.
“I would probably go with Cameron Bancroft because he’s been the leading run scorer for the last two years in Shield cricket,” Clarke said. “I care about Shield cricket. I think he’s earned the right to be selected based on runs.”
Clarke’s comments come amid speculation that Warner may return from retirement for the India series. However, the former captain believes Australia should not rely on Warner and instead focus on developing a long-term solution at the top of the order.
