‘Layers’ to Smith decision, says coach

Australian coach Andrew McDonald is strongly considering a reversal of Steve Smith’s move to the top order but suggests a specialist opener coming into the side this summer is unlikely.

McDonald said conversations were under way about potentially shifting the champion batter back to the No.4 position after opening in Australia’s last four Tests.

In a move engineered to allow prodigious talent Cameron Green to return to the Australian side, Smith replaced the retired David Warner in a new combination with Usman Khawaja.

But the 35-year-old did not convincingly adapt to the new role and managed only one half-century (an unbeaten 91 against the West Indies) in eight innings at an average of 28.5.

McDonald said Green’s performances at four, which included a commanding 174 not out against New Zealand in Wellington, added “layers to the decision-making”.

“That’s the question on everyone’s lips, isn’t it? While we’ve got an eye to it, we haven’t made any firm decisions around that one,” McDonald told SEN.

“There’s plenty of speculation around that, but in the background I’d be lying if I said that conversation wasn’t happening.

“There are conversations around a lot of ‘what-ifs’ in terms of the Test summer that is to come.

“We’ll let (NSW coach) Greg Shipperd know what our plans are and then we’ll see what he does with his NSW side should Steve Smith play Shield cricket.”

McDonald said where Smith batted would also depend heavily on the view of captain Pat Cummins, while NSW coach Shipperd would be kept in discussions to influence where Smith batted in the Sheffield Shield in a possible window at the start of the summer.

“Clearly, Patty Cummins as the captain is a big part of that, he’s rehabbing at the moment, he’s not over here (in the UK),” McDonald said.

“We’ve already had some chats in Sydney initially around what we’re thinking for the summer, and that goes right down to depth bowling and what it looks like, all those hypotheticals and ‘what-ifs’ that we always go through.

“Clearly, if we make a shift with Steve Smith, then someone else will have to go to the top, but nothing is firm and fixed on at the moment.”

Travis Head or Mitchell Marsh could be called upon to replace Smith at the top, with McDonald declaring Australia’s top six batters were poised to keep their spots for the first Test against India in Perth on November 22.

“Clearly, there’s a few other selectors, and I don’t want to sort of influence the decision-making or thinking of George Bailey.

“But we’ve spoken about that, and we’re still a big believer in the best six batters and come that first Test match, who are the best six batters?

“We feel as though that the team that finished in New Zealand, should they get a clean run at it and be well prepared, then they would be the best-placed players to fill that, there’s no doubt about that.”