Mark Steve Smith to Open Despite Struggles in New Zealand

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor has urged selectors to retain Steve Smith as the team’s Test opener despite a lean series against New Zealand.

Australia secured a hard-fought 2-0 series victory over the Black Caps, but Smith’s returns with the bat were underwhelming. The 34-year-old managed just 61 runs across his four innings, raising questions about his suitability at the top of the order.

Smith volunteered to fill the void left by David Warner’s retirement, and the selectors endorsed the move. However, his trademark big scores have been absent so far.

Taylor, in an exclusive interview with Wide World of Sports, believes a change would be disruptive after the series win and the recent contributions of all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh.

“The wickets in New Zealand were bowler-friendly, and that shouldn’t be forgotten,” Taylor said. “Honestly, changing the lineup now would be tough. They’ve committed to this approach, and someone will have to miss out if they bring in a new opener.”

Taylor emphasized that changes are only made for improvement, and with the team winning, there’s no reason to panic.

“The selectors won’t be hasty. They’ll back their current strategy and keep Smith at the top next summer,” he added.

Smith has his batting average dropped drastically 

While Smith’s career average dipped slightly to 56.97 in Tests, a figure most batsmen would dream of, his age suggests his international career is nearing its twilight.

Head coach Andrew McDonald also defended Smith, highlighting his problem-solving ability and resilience.

“There are questions, of course, but Steve’s a great player, and he thrives on challenges,” McDonald said after the series. “The criticism he’s faced is unfair. He’ll bounce back, he always does.”

Smith will have a chance to redeem himself during the upcoming home series against India, a five-match Border-Gavaskar series starting in December.

Before the coveted Border-Gavasker Trophy, Smith has plenty of time to work on the blemishes. Experts have suggested that perhaps Smith is trying too much, which is leading to his downfall.

The whole new batting order emerged after David Warner retired from test cricket. The top spot got vacant and Smith raised his hand to ace the position and the management agreed despite some youngsters still waiting to find their way into the team.