Former Australian captain Mark Taylor has backed Steve Smith to continue as an opener in Test cricket, despite his recent batting form. Mark Taylor emphasized that demoting Steve Smith in the batting lineup might not enhance the Australian team’s performance.
Steve Smith assumed the opener’s role after veteran cricketer David Warner’s retirement from red-ball cricket. Despite batting at the top of the order against the West Indies and New Zealand, the 34-year-old batter failed to make an impact in his new role in Test cricket.
The batter has scored 171 runs in eight innings, averaging 28.50. However, he only managed to surpass 12 runs twice in the four Test matches. Despite this, the Pat Cummins-led side secured victory in three out of the four Tests, including a 2-0 win in New Zealand.
Stick With Steve Smith To Open – Mark Taylor
During his conversation with World Wide of Sports, Mark Taylor emphasized the importance of Australia sticking with Steve Smith as the opener. He attributed Smith’s recent struggles to the challenging pitch conditions encountered in the Test matches.
“The two Test matches were played on pitches that were certainly bowler-friendly and I think that point needs to be made. It’s going to be very difficult for Australia to change now, to be totally honest … I think the die is cast. I think they are going to have to stick that way, because if they want to bring in an opener now, someone is going to have to miss out,” said Taylor.
