Former Indian wicket-keeper bat Deep Dasgupta has revealed that Steve Smith is thinking about opening the innings in the Border-Gavaskar trophy against India. After David Warner’s retirement, Smith has opened the innings along with Usman Khawaja. Smith has scored 171 runs in four Test matches at an average of 28.50 while playing against the West Indies and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Smith has a fantastic record while batting at number four, scoring 5966 runs in 67 Test matches with an impressive average of 61.50, including 19 centuries.
Smith has the opening experience in Big Bash League and Major League Cricket but it is well known that the red-ball format is a different ball game altogether.
Deep Dasgupta said on talkSPORT, “I bumped into him recently and I asked him ‘You opening? What’s that about? And I did ask him ‘Are you going to open against India as well?’ And he said, ‘yeah, I am thinking about it’. I said ‘yeah, you should, why not?’ Because it’s quite baffling.”
“If you’re an Indian, you’d be happy to see Steve Smith opening. You don’t want to see Steve Smith batting at 4 or down the order because it’s baffling. Almost the peak of his career he’s done so well over so many years batting at that number. Starting to open? It’s a different ball game you know,” he continued.
“Anyone who has played any level of cricket will tell you that middle order in Test cricket and opening are two very different jobs. When you’re coming in to bat with 20 overs bowled and with a new ball, they’re very different”
The former Bengal cricketer added he found Smith’s decision to open the innings as surprising.
“I can understand that he’s not scoring runs and you’re trying to still find a place for him. That’s the only spot available. Stuff like ‘We can only fit you in there so why don’t you try that position’. But that wasn’t the case, was it? I don’t know. I found it very surprising. I’ve heard other teams doing it but not Australia. There is a plan behind everything they have done the years.”
The opening Test match between India and Australia will be played at Perth from November 22 onwards.
