Steve Smith and David Warner called out as 'vanity project' backfires in Aussie experiment

Cricket reporter Gerard Whateley has joined the chorus of Australians questioning the moves from David Warner and Steve Smith last summer with the team provided seven Test matches for to find a new opener. Australia are reeling ahead of one of their heaviest ever defeats on home soil as India and Jasprit Bumrah have batted the host side into submission in Perth.

Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith are all under pressure for their prolonged dip in form with Nathan McSweeney also falling short in his debut as opener. McSweeney has faced a brutal start to his Test career having fallen cheaply, along with the Aussie top order, as plenty was made about him moving into the opening role.

McSweeney has never opened at Sheffield Shield level and many felt George Bailey and Andrew McDonald were throwing him to the wolves. And Whateley has also questioned the Aussie team's management for allowing David Warner to receive a farewell series at home, before moving Smith to opener.

Warner opted to retire at the SCG at the beginning of 2024, despite calls for nearly 12 months a new opener should come into the team for the out of from Aussie great. Despite backlash, Warner received his farewell Test.

Instead of rewarding the form of Cameron Bancroft or reinstating Marcus Harris as the opener, selectors opted to move Smith up the order for the series against the West Indies and then New Zealand. The experiment didn't go to plan with Smith still struggling for runs.

The 35-year-old failed to cement his position as an opener, before moving back to No.4 for the series against India. On Monday, Smith fell cheaply again for 17. He has now only scored 68 runs in six innings. Across the last 18 months, Smith has scored 623 runs for an average of 37.

And Smith's move back down the order resulted in selectors opting to select McSweeney this series to open the batting for the first time in his career. While it has only been two innings, fans have questioned why selectors didn't move Warner on earlier when his form arguably did not warrant selection.

Going through the carnage of Day 3 of the Test match against India, it was put to Whateley on SEN Radio why Australia wasted time to find an opener with seven Test available last summer. And Whateley agreed with a damning statement of how the team has managed the situation.

"Yes, the real time discussion of last summer. Seven Tests, wasted," he said on SEN Radio. "Answering no questions. First for the vanity project and then for the experiment with Steve Smith. Knowing what the two summers ahead were. India and England," Whateley said on Monday morning.

And many fans agreed. Many felt the Australian management has not adequately planned for an ageing squad and have allowed a number of players feel undroppable in the team when they should be under pressure.

Whateley added there needs to be a response from the selectors and management after a deplorable performance. And while major changes may not be needed, action is needed.

"The prevailing question is what represents a proportional response. To abandon all plans after one Test is reactionary. Inaction would be unforgivable...in any sport change is demanded after such a performance," he added.

Marnus Labuschagne under pressure

Labuschagne is facing the biggest backlash from the Aussie public after a poor 18 months at the crease. Labuschagne's decision not to play at a shot against the relentless accuracy of Bumrah in the final innings, saw the 30-year-old come under intense criticism. This followed Labuschagne only scoring two runs off 52 balls in the first innings. And many insisted the Aussie was simply not in good enough form to remain in the Test side.

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“Inexplicable cricket from Marnus Labuschagne in that situation,” veteran cricket journalist Peter Lalor said on SEN radio. “How do you not use your bat when you’ve seen that this ball is skidding through?” SEN host Gerard Whateley said Labuschagne was batting like a man whose confidence was shot and that a stint back in Sheffield Shield might do him good."

Labuschagne's last 10 innings make for shocking reading and only back up the calls for him to be dropped. He's scored 10, 1 not out, 3, 5, 1, 2, 90, 6, 2 and 3 for an average of just 13.66 across that period, with reserve batter Josh Inglis waiting in the wings for the Aussies if selectors decide to swing the axe.