Australia are tightlipped on Steve Smith’s batting position ahead of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Test series against India, starting November 22 in Perth.

Smith has been a rock in Australia’s middle-order, especially at No.4, for more than a decade, but was moved up to an unfamiliar role at the top alongside Usman Khawaja with mixed success following the retirement of David Warner at the start of the year.

Smith managed one half-century and averaged just 28.50 in four Tests against the West Indies and New Zealand, with the 35-year-old’s best innings coming in a narrow loss to the Caribbean side in Brisbane when he managed an unbeaten 91.

But with India set to travel Down Under, Australia are still undecided on whether Smith will remain as opener or revert to his more preferred batting position at No.4.

Andrew McDonald, the Australia coach, refused to give away too much.

“That’s the question on everyone’s lips, isn’t it? While we’ve got an eye to it, we haven’t made any firm decisions around that one,” McDonald said on Australian radio station SEN. “There’s plenty of speculation around that. But in the background, I’d be lying if I said the conversation wasn’t happening.

“There are conversations around a lot of what ifs in terms of that Test summer that is
to come.

“We’ll unveil everything, and we’ll let Greg Shipperd (Smith’s coach at domestic level) know what our plans are and then we’ll see what he does with his New South Wales side should Smith play (Sheffield) Shield cricket.”

McDonald is currently in the UK ahead of Australia’s white-ball series against England. With Test captain Pat Cummins resting at home, he indicated selection matters have been put on the backburner for the time being.

“What am I willing to share? Not a lot at this
stage. All I can say is the conversation’s happening,” McDonald added.

“We’ve already had some chats in Sydney initially around what we’re thinking for the summer, and that goes right down to depth bowling and what it looks like, all those hypotheticals and what ifs that we always go through.

“Clearly, if we make a shift with Smith, then someone else will have to go to the top. We’ve seen Cameron Green can be really successful at No.4 as well. So that sort of adds layers to the decision-making.

“But nothing is firm and fixed on at the moment.”