Steve Smith will be Australia’s new Test opener, with Cameron Green coming in at No.4 for the first Test against West Indies.
Barring injury, Australia’s selectors confirmed Green will come into the XI as the only change for David Warner for the first Test starting on January 17 while Matt Renshaw has been added to the 13-man squad as the spare batter with no room for Cameron Bancroft or Marcus Harris.
Chairman of selectors George Bailey confirmed Smith would open with Usman Khawaja following Warner’s retirement after the SCG Test.
Smith has publicly stated his desire to open and will do so for the first time in
not only his 114-match Test career but also his 16-year first-class career.
“Steve’s obviously motivated and energised and keen to do it,” Bailey said. “There were plenty within the team who were pretty keen to go on record and say that they weren’t keen to do it.
“So it was refreshing that Steve had come forward and said he wanted it and it was something we’d been chatting about in the background as a selection panel with the coaches as well.
“It’s selfless that someone who’s had so much success in one position or a couple of positions in the middle order is open and willing and hungry to go and have a crack at something new and something different... which provides that opportunity to slot Cam into a position where he’s had so much success at first-class level and we think ultimately, is a great spot for him to be in the Test team.”
Bailey also said Smith had confirmed he would not request a move back down the order if he had some trouble adjusting to the role.
“That’s been part of the discussions I believe with Steve, that he’s keen for this to be a significant chapter in his career,” Bailey said.
“As far as the panel goes, I think we’ve been pretty consistent in saying that we don’t look too far ahead. We’ve obviously got these two Test matches against the West Indies. We go to New Zealand, different conditions, different challenge.
“We’ll have more information then. We’ve clearly got a big gap between Test cricket and then India over the summer. But for all intents and purposes, this is where Steve wants to stay.”
Renshaw, who Warner has tipped as a potential successor, has also been called up to
the squad.
“We have selected a team we believe contains the best six batters in the country,” Bailey said.
Apart from Renshaw’s inclusion in place of Warner, there are no changes to the squad which beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third and final Test in Sydney to sweep the series 3-0 last week.
