Shane Watson backs Steve Smith to open in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

Shane Watson backs Steve Smith to open in Border-Gavaskar Trophy. (Photo Source: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

India will tour Australia for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the first Test scheduled to commence on November 22 in Perth. With the series garnering immense hype, there are several drawing board discussions going on social media and from former cricketers. Joining the bandwagon, former Australia opener Shane Watson has opined that the team should open the batting with Steve Smith.

Smith is predominantly a middle-order batter and the former Australia skipper hoped for promotion in the batting order after David Warner retired. He has since opened in four Tests and mustered 174 runs at an average of 28.50. Watson, while backing the veteran to open the innings, also added that the 35-year-old should need to make some technical adjustments.

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“Steve Smith made the call to be able to go and open, and I think he should stay there. The safety blanket for him would be moving back to No. 4, but I would love to see him continue to take on the opening spot because he’s got the skill to be able to do it,” Watson was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“I believe the reason why he didn’t do so well over the previous couple of Test matches is just [that] he was a little bit off with his technique. You see [saw] him getting out a couple of ways which I’ve never really seen him get out before. I know he would’ve had time just to go away, and make some little technical adjustments, and if he opens and he makes those little adjustments, he can be incredibly successful as an opening batter knowing the incredible skill that he’s got,” he added.

It is worth noting that, India are the defending champions of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. They won the title 2-1 in 2018-19 in Australia and replicated the same in 2020-21. They hosted Australia in 2022-23 and won the series by the same margin (2-1). It is worth noting that India occupy the first position and are followed by Australia in the World Test Championship Points Table.