Amid scrutiny surrounding Steve Smith's recent performances as an opener, Australia's coach, Andrew McDonald, hinted that the seasoned batsman will likely retain his role at least until the upcoming home series against India later this year.
The much-anticipated clash between India and Australia is scheduled between November of this year and January of 2025, marking India's quest to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which they have held since 2018-19 and 2020-21.
McDonald expressed confidence in Smith's determination to face the challenges posed by India, suggesting it could serve as an internal motivator for the player. Despite Smith's desire to occupy the opening position, his performance has been met with mixed results since the series against the West Indies in January, following David Warner's retirement from Test cricket.
Despite modest numbers, with only one half-century—an unbeaten 91 against the West Indies in Brisbane—Smith's scores of 12, 11, 6, 31, 0, 11, and 9 in subsequent innings have left room for improvement.
McDonald, however, refrained from placing excessive emphasis on these statistics, emphasizing the need to allow Smith time to adapt to his new role. He compared Smith's situation to that of a new opener being given only a handful of Test matches before being judged, suggesting it would be unfair to expect immediate success.
While McDonald acknowledged the potential for changes in the lineup, he highlighted the team's recent successes, including a two-nil victory against New Zealand and an eight-win streak in their last twelve Tests, with four of those victories achieved away from home against England and New Zealand.
Concluding his remarks, McDonald emphasized the challenge of breaking into the current lineup, suggesting that it would require exceptional performances from any player seeking to make changes to the team's composition.
Read also | Former Cricketer Danish Kaneria Backs CAA, Heralds Hope for Pakistani Hindus
