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'Cam Green Suited For No. 4, Can't Sit Right...,' - Steve Smith Discusses Opening Duty For AUS

image-lreri5kfCam Green (l) & Steve Smith (X.com)

Steve Smith pressed home empathy for young all-rounder Cameron Green in reinforcing why he has opted to open the innings for Australia in Tests starting with the two-match series against the West Indies, which kicks off on Wednesday (January 17) in Adelaide.

The Australian batting legend, who has been undergoing an evident decline in his prolific ways with the bat since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, with chinks appearing for the first time in his technique, wasn't expected to replace the now-retired David Warner.

However, the 34-year-old chose to put his hand up to the selectors, who were always keen to involve Green after being forced to leave him out since the final Ashes 2023 Test at the Oval. The young Western Australian batter, possessing a terrific Sheffield Shield record in the middle-order, will be batting No. 4 as Smith moves up at the top to join Usman Khawaja. 

Smith Emphasises Why He is Opening In Tests 

"It didn't sit right having him (Green) come in and bat up top," Smith told the press ahead of Australia's next set of World Test Championship (WTC) matches versus the Calypso Kings."I've played for a long time and I'm an experienced player and think it's something that I should have done. He's suited to No. 4. Plays there in Shield cricket, does well there."

Smith had earlier explained that his fidgety nature and annoyance at being made to wait too long for his turn to bat since the astonishing rise of his legacy successor Marnus Labuschagne at No. 3 had played their part in him wanting to kickstart the proceedings at the top of the order.

The great right-hander, who was averaging a whopping 62.84 from his first 72 Tests and 130 innings for Australia until the end of 2019, has since endured a slump to 47.00 runs an innings off his last 33 Tests and 57 knocks.