Usman Khawaja makes big call on opening partner for Test summer - and it's not Steve Smith

Australian Test batsman Usman Khawaja has called for Steve Smith to be moved back down the order and for Travis Head to be promoted to opener. His comments come after earlier this week veteran cricket journalist Robbert Craddock reported Smith wouldn't be opening the batting in the upcoming Test series against India after failing to make any significant runs at the top of the order last summer.

Smith volunteered to take David Warner's place at the top of the order when the veteran opener called time on his Test career last summer but he didn't have much success. Smith only made one half-century against the West Indies and largely failed to make any significant runs. Smith made just 171 runs in eight innings at the top of the order against the West Indies and New Zealand.

Smith averaged 28.25 as an opener - well below his career average of 56.97. And in the New Zealand series alone he averaged just 12.75 across four innings.

His push up the order allowed Cameron Green to return to the side without Mitch Marsh needing to be dropped. And while the makeshift opener struggled for runs, Green went on to score a dominant 174 not out against New Zealand and in the next match Marsh put on 80 in a match-winning partnership with Alex Carey, showcasing why they both deserve a spot in the side.

Usman Khawaja believes a move to No.4 is in Smith's best interest

And Khawaja believes the obvious solution is for Head to open the batting and for Smith to slot back in at second drop - the position he batted when he was widely regarded as the best batsman in the world. Khawaja's push for Head to open came hours after the leftie belted England in the opening T20 match, helping Australia secure a 28-run victory.

Head smashed 59 runs from just 23 balls in Southampton and also hit a record-equalling 30 runs in one over in an incredibly impressive knock. Squaring off against England's Sam Curran, Head hit three fours and as many sixes to equal the most runs ever by an Aussie batter in a T20I over – joining Ricky Ponting (2005), Dan Christian (2021), and Mitchell Marsh (2024).

And while Smith says he doesn't mind if he opens the batting against India in the blockbuster five-Test series which gets underway in November, Khawaja insists it is best for 'Smudge' to return to number four this summer. "Opening is a very important spot … (but) I still think we have the best Test player of my era in the side, in Steve Smith, and his best spot has been number four," Khawaja told Fox Sports Australia.

“I feel like that’s his best spot. I feel like the best balance for our team is (Marnus) Labuschagne three, Smith four. For me, the number one consideration is ‘what’s best for the team?’. What order scores us the most runs?

"And if you look at how many runs we scored with Davey Warner in the team and Smudge batting at four, we scored a lot of runs With Smudge opening, we’ve still won games, but I don’t think we’ve scored as many runs as we could’ve."

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And Khawaja believes the obvious pick to open with him is Head. "If you have me opening, Labuschagne three, Smith four … I feel like Travis Head might be best suited (to open). He’s obviously been very successful opening the batting in one-day cricket and, breaking it down, I’d probably lean towards him," he said.