Win Projections to be updated soon
Australia’s star cricketer, Steve Smith, has expressed his readiness to bat in any position during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India. After the retirement of David Warner, Smith stepped up as an opener but has struggled to consistently deliver, with only one fifty-plus score in four innings. Despite the challenges, Smith remains focused on contributing runs for his team, regardless of his position in the batting order.
Smith’s Perspective on Opening Role
Smith acknowledged the difficulties of facing the new ball but maintained a positive outlook on his performance. Speaking about his innings against the West Indies at the Gabba, where he scored 91, Smith emphasized that while opening comes with its challenges, he’s not overly concerned about where he bats.
“You’ll have to ask the men in charge but I’m not fussed either way. Some challenging conditions with the new ball, in particular. So I would have liked to score a few more runs. 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,” Smith stated.
Disappointment Over World Cup Omission
Apart from his Test aspirations, Smith also opened up about his disappointment at missing out on Australia’s T20 World Cup squad. He revealed that the selectors favored power-hitters, which led to his exclusion. Despite this setback, Smith remains optimistic about his future in T20 cricket and expressed a keen interest in participating in the upcoming IPL season.
“I don’t know about international T20 stuff. You’ll have to ask the selectors there. I was disappointed not to be in the World Cup but that’s the way things go. They wanted all the big-hitters. 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 added.
Looking Ahead
As Australia prepares for the highly anticipated series against India, Smith’s versatility and experience will be crucial for the team. Whether he opens or bats lower down the order, Smith’s primary focus remains on contributing runs and helping Australia reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
With the series fast approaching, all eyes will be on Smith to see if he can overcome the challenges of the new ball and play a pivotal role in what promises to be an intense battle between two of cricket’s giants.
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram
