Steve Smith replaced David Warner during West Indies series

Former Australian team captain Steve Smith has replaced a giant batter David Warner, as Test opener during the West Indies Series. The three-match series will begin on Jan 17, 204 in Australia.

Despite never batting in the position during his 16-year first-class career, Steve Smith replaced David Warner as Australia’s Test opener. Steve will start batting alongside Usman Khawaja in the opening Test against the West Indies on Jan 17 in Adelaide.

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Steve Smith will headline a squad packed with heroes from our recent triumph in India in a three-match series against @windiescricket. pic.twitter.com/HOtylKk7Ha
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) January 10, 2024

Steve has never opened the batting in 167 first-class games including 105 tests. Australian Team selector George Bailey explained there were plenty of people in the team who were eager to go on record and declare they didn’t want to do it. So, it was nice that Steve came forward and expressed his desire for it.

George also said that they had been discussing it as a selection panel with the coaches in the background. It is selfless for someone who has success in one or two places in the middle order to be open, eager, and hungry to try something new and different.

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Steve began his career as a leg spinner and number eight before developing into a productive middle-order hitter. In Tests, he has scored 9,514 runs at an average of 58.01.

He has played at number three in seventeen Tests, most recently in 2017. However, he has started the batting for Australia twice in T20s.

Besides Steve Smith, the Aussie squad includes Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, and Travis Head. As well as Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw, and Mitchell Starc.

Australia has to play two Tests, one-day internationals (ODIs), and three Twenty 20s against the West Indies. Later on, it will play a February and March tour of two test series with New Zealand.