Steve Smith Excited for New Opening Role in Australia Test Team

Australia captain Pat Cummins has expressed his opinion on Steve Smith‘s new role in the Australian Test team. Smith, who is 34 years old, will be opening the innings for the first time in his Test career, following the retirement of David Warner. The team management chose Smith over Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft, and Cummins believes that Smith is thrilled and energetic about the new challenge.

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Cummins stated, ‘I’ve never seen him as happy and as energetic as I’ve seen him around the nets the last couple of days. He can’t wait to get out there. Also think the new ball, maybe [there will be] a few more scoring options. It’s something that excites him. So that makes sense and getting Greeny a spot where we think he is set up to succeed.’

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Smith, who has been a part of the Australian side for over a decade, has the potential to benefit from his new role, as he is nearing 10,000 Test runs. He currently has 32 Test hundreds, the second most by an Australian, with only Ricky Ponting ahead of him. Smith is also the fourth-highest run scorer for the Baggy Greens, with 9514 runs in 105 Tests.

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With Smith’s promotion to the top order, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris will have to wait for their turn to get into the Test team. Despite being backed by Warner, Harris was not selected, while Bancroft, who has been in good form in Sheffield Shield, was also left out. Instead, Matt Renshaw was chosen to fill the vacant spot. However, Renshaw is unlikely to play in the first Test, with Cameron Green being preferred in a middle-order role. Green will have an opportunity to cement his place in the side after limited chances due to Mitchell Marsh’s rise in the Test format in 2023.

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The first Test of the two-match series between Australia and the West Indies is set to begin on Wednesday in Adelaide.