{"id":357816,"date":"2024-01-06T00:16:50","date_gmt":"2024-01-06T01:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=357816"},"modified":"2024-01-06T05:02:20","modified_gmt":"2024-01-06T05:02:20","slug":"pretty-keen-smith-puts-hand-up-as-warner-replacement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=357816","title":{"rendered":"'Pretty keen' Smith puts hand up as Warner replacement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Steve Smith<\/a> has shot to the top of the list of contenders to be David Warner<\/a>'s replacement as Australian<\/a> Test opener.<\/p>\n

Shane Watson put forward Smith's name as a potential replacement<\/a> earlier in the week, suggesting a move up the order could provide a fresh challenge for the enigmatic Smith.<\/p>\n

The suggestion was put to him by Australian fast bowling legend Glenn McGrath<\/a> on ABC Grandstand following play on day three.<\/p>\n

FOLLOW LIVE:<\/strong> Australia v Pakistan, third Test day four\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Warner's honest admission ahead of final Test innings<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\ufeffREAD MORE:<\/strong> Star cleared of injury following 'gruesome' training blow\ufeff<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

"I'm actually happy to go up the top … I'm pretty keen if that's what (selectors) want to do," he said.<\/p>\n

"I'm sure the selectors \u2026 will have a chat after this game. But, yeah, I'm certainly interested for sure."<\/p>\n

\"Steve<\/p>\n

The opening created by Smith moving up the order would give selectors the chance to play both Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh.<\/p>\n

But not everyone is on-board. Usman Khawaja \u2013 Smith's potential partner at the top of the order \u2013 isn't so keen on moving Smith from No.4.<\/p>\n

"I think anyone who can bat in the top four can open," Khawaja said after play on Thursday.<\/p>\n

"I just personally, I wouldn't want to sacrifice, in my opinion, the second greatest ever Test batsman after the Don (Sir Donald Bradman) off the position that he's been batting for so long.<\/p>\n

"The beauty of Steve Smith is he's a beautiful No.4 batsman. He can bat against pace, he's really good against spin.<\/p>\n

"I think that's, you know, I think that's the best spot for the team personally."<\/p>\n

Speaking on Fox Sports ahead of play on Saturday morning, Mark Waugh said he would prefer Green be given the spot, and Smith left where he is.<\/p>\n

He said Smith's age should also be a consideration for selectors.<\/p>\n

"He seems like he's in a bit of a rut at the moment \u2026 he's certainly not playing the way he would like to, (but) opening? I'm not sure," he said.<\/p>\n

\"Warner<\/p>\n

"Is he going to be in it for the long haul? (Will) we then look at another opener if he retires in 12 months time?"<\/p>\n

Pakistan great Wasim Akram \ufeffsaid Green wasn't the answer, and Australia needed to find someone who had opened their whole career.<\/p>\n

"Test cricket opening is a different ball game altogether," he said.<\/p>\n

"You've got to have a regular opener (who has been) opening with the red ball since his childhood."<\/p>\n

Travis Head and Mitch Marsh are the other candidates, although both have expressed reluctance to move out of the middle order.\ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Steve Smith has shot to the top of the list of contenders to be David Warner's replacement as Australian Test opener. Shane Watson put forward […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":357818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357816"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=357816"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":357820,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357816\/revisions\/357820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/357818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=357816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=357816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=357816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}