{"id":358974,"date":"2024-01-10T18:11:20","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T19:11:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=358974"},"modified":"2024-01-10T20:02:09","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T20:02:09","slug":"chappell-urges-selectors-to-have-smith-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=358974","title":{"rendered":"Chappell urges selectors to have Smith 'conversation'"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Test<\/a> captain Ian Chappell<\/a> has cautioned Australia against moving modern great Steve Smith<\/a> up the batting order.<\/p>\n

Smith will open against the West Indies in Adelaide next week, after chief selector George Bailey picked specialist Matthew Renshaw in the squad on Wednesday<\/a> but revealed he won't make the final XI.<\/p>\n

\ufeffSmith has never opened the batting in his 187 Test innings. He averages an enviable 61.50 batting at No.4, and that increases to 67.07 from 29 innings when at No.3.<\/p>\n

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\ufeffREAD MORE:<\/strong> \ufeffStar's recall adds mystery to Aussie selection battle<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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Chappell played 91 of his 136 Test innings at No.3\ufeff, and only opened the batting on three occasions for his country.<\/p>\n

"\ufeffThe first thing I'd say about opening is you've got to want to do it," Chappell told Wide World of Sports.<\/p>\n

\"BRISBANE,<\/p>\n

"Smith has said he wants to do it, which means he has a good feeling about the position. If you think he's the best man for the job, well then you give it to him."<\/p>\n

But while Chappell \ufeffhas no issue with Smith putting his hand up to fill David Warner's spot in the order, he is concerned the Aussies are compromising their batting lower down.<\/p>\n

Smith is considered one of the greatest batters to ever play the game, and Australia's middle order looks undoubtedly skinnier without the quirky right-hander at No.4.<\/p>\n

Historically the best batter in a Test team has come in at first or second drop.<\/p>\n

Ricky Ponting – Australia's most prolific ever batter – never opened in a 168-Test career.<\/p>\n

Indian legend Sachin \ufeffTendulkar opened only once in 200 Tests, while Brian Lara from the West Indies opened twice in 131 matches.<\/p>\n

"You don't piss around with No.3 or No.4, in my book. They are two vital positions in the order," Chappell said.<\/p>\n

"They've got to be blokes who are very good in those positions. At the moment Australia is well served with (Marnus) Labuschagne at three and Smith at four.<\/p>\n

"Do we want to piss around with three and four, or do we want to leave it the way it is and we try to pick an opener (at the top)?<\/p>\n

"This is one of the difficulties of the decision. To me, there are no signs that Smith wants to end his career any time soon, so you've got three and four settled.<\/p>\n

"I'm really not sure why you would be messing around with those positions.\ufeff"<\/p>\n

Chappell is also at a loss to explain why Smith, 34, suddenly had a desire to open the batting.<\/p>\n

The suggestion was first made by former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson at a speaking event ahead of the SCG Test, and then Smith confirmed his interest days later to media.<\/p>\n

\"Australian<\/p>\n

The speculation quickly gained steam and led to Bailey's revelation on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

"If he suddenly says 'I want to open', as a selector I'd be wanting to find out why he wants to open," Chappell said.<\/p>\n

"Is he doing it because he thinks he can help the team? Which if he is, that's terrific. Or is he doing it because he thinks that might improve his longevity in the game?<\/p>\n

"It was interesting to note that Cummins said 'I'm very happy with Smith at four' – I take my hat off to Pat, because he's worked out we've got a four who is very good, we don't want to mess with the position. I agree with those sentiments.<\/p>\n

"So as a selector I'd be trying to figure out, why does Smith want to open? And there's only one way you can get that answer, that's from the bloke himself. And you've got to do it in a private conversation, not with the world.\ufeff"<\/p>\n

Australia's two-Test series against the West Indies begins next Wednesday in Adelaide.\ufeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Test captain Ian Chappell has cautioned Australia against moving modern great Steve Smith up the batting order. Smith will open against the West Indies […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":358977,"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\/358974"}],"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=358974"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":358982,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/358974\/revisions\/358982"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/358977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=358974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=358974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=358974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}