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Following David Warner's retirement, Steve Smith took on the challenging task of opening the batting for Australia. Having played four Test matches in this position, Smith has displayed a mixed bag of performances, averaging 28.5. Nevertheless, his ability to anchor the innings was evident in his unbeaten 91 during the second Test against the West Indies in Brisbane. With the crucial series against India looming, Smith remains unperturbed by his batting position. Emphasizing his adaptability, he expressed his willingness to contribute to the team in any role deemed necessary by the management.
“You’ll have to ask the men in charge but I’m not fussed either way,” Smith was quoted as saying by Code Sports.
Smith acknowledges room for improvement
While showcasing his adaptability, Smith candidly admitted that his performance as an opener has not reached its full potential. With only one half-century from six innings in the new role, he recognizes the need for improvement.
“Some challenging conditions with the new ball, in particular. So I would have liked to score a few more runs," Smith added.
“That’s the game sometimes but I played pretty well in the second innings at the Gabba where we couldn’t get over the line, unfortunately. It’s just a position to me so it doesn’t really faze me too much,” he added.
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Smith opens up on his T20 World Cup snub
Steve Smith has encountered difficulties adapting to the demands of the T20 format. At the age of 35, he was notably absent from Australia's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, a decision that underscored his limited prospects in the shortest format of the game.
Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, Smith has participated in only four T20 International matches.
"I don’t know about international T20 stuff. You’ll have to ask the selectors there," Smith said.
“I was disappointed not to be in the World Cup but that’s the way things go. They wanted all the big hitters,” he further stated.
I’d love to be part of the IPL again: Steve Smith
Encouraged by his recent solid performances, Smith expressed optimism about his chances of securing a spot in the upcoming IPL season.
“I’d love to be part of the IPL again, for sure. I’ll be putting my name in the hat so just have to keep scoring runs. You never know, we’ll see what happens,” Smith concluded.
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