Steve Smith expresses how he convinced management to open the innings for Australia in Tests

After the retirement of David Warner in the longest format of the game, there has been a debate over the opening spot. However, things seem to have sorted as Steve Smith is named the new Test opener for Australia in the longest format of the game. Smith started his career as a leg spinner who was a lower-order batter. With time, his role changed for Australia.

From 2014, Smith became a regular number 4 in Test Cricket and a regular number 3 in Limited overs cricket. With time, Smith has evolved from being a leg spinner to a top batter in cricket. In Test cricket, Smith is in his own league and does not need any introduction regarding his calibre. The star batter is all set to embrace a new challenge, as he will open the innings.

Opening in Tests is a specialist job. It is to be seen how Smith would embrace the new challenge. Speaking about his new role in Tests, Smith said how he was thinking about the new role right from the Perth Test. Smith added that he was thinking about opening for Australia even during the Ashes series that happened last year in England, which ended in a 2-2 tie.

‘I don’t think they took me seriously until I got to Sydney’ – Steve Smith

“I’d been pushing it for a few weeks, even before Perth, and I might have even floated it in England randomly and said I’m happy to play up top,” said Smith. He added that the selectors probably did not take him seriously when he told them his interest in opening the inning for Australia. Smith added that he let selectors know of his intention of opening in Tests for Australia.

“In Perth, I said, ‘after Davey’s done, I’m actually keen to get up there’ and I don’t think they (selectors) took me seriously until I got to Sydney (for the pink Test against Pakistan) and said, ‘you know I’m actually being genuine here’,” added Smith in the recent interview, where he was asked about the thought process behind opening the batting for Australia in Tests.