Australian opener David Warner is playing his farewell Test. Warner will open for Australia in the red-ball format for the last time in the run chase of Day 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). As the veteran opener bids goodbye to Test cricket, there have been speculations over who will open the batting for Australia. Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft have emerged as two top contenders for the job. Warner has even put his weight behind Harris saying he deserves the spot. However, there is a possibility that Smith may open alongside Usman Khawaja.
Smith who recently opened the innings for Australia in T20Is did not seem surprised when he was asked whether he will be open to it in Test as well.
"I'm actually happy to go up the top, I'm pretty keen if that's what they want to do," Smith told ABC Sport after the end of Day 3’s play in the third Test against Pakistan.
Smith has opened the batting for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL) where he scored centuries. Against India, he scored a half-century as well while opening the innings. However, he has never opened in Tests and ODIs. The highest he has batted in the other two formats is at no.3.
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson feels that opening the innings in Tests will be the 'challenge he needs'.
"Steve Smith opening the batting, he has got the technique, is the challenge he needs."
"My concern is that if Steve Smith isn't given a challenge, he might shut things down earlier than he needs," said Watson.
Smith has not been in the best of forms in the ongoing three-Test series against Pakistan. He has good starts but has not gone one to score a century. His best score in the series is the 50-run knock at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the Boxing Day Test. So far, Smith has scored 190 runs from five innings at an average of 38. He will have a chance to guide Australia home on Day 4 of the third Test and complete cleansweep.
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