Michael Clarke backs Smith to take Warner’s spot: “He’ll be the No. 1 Test opener”

Michael Clarke, who used to be captain of Australia, thinks that Steve Smith could be the best Test starter if he is given the chance to replace David Warner. Warner’s last game in red-ball cricket was last week at his home ground, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), against Pakistan. The defending winners will need to quickly find a new opening batter since the new World Test Championship season has already started.

Clarke told ESPN’s Around The Wicket show, “If he (Smith) wants to open the batting and they give him the chance, he’ll be the No. 1 Test opener within a year.” He really is a great player. You can bat anywhere in the order if you know how to hit the third ball. He’s good enough technically; he lets the ball go well, has great vision, and beautiful hands. “Yes, he might steal one or get dropped, but name someone who doesn’t do that.” So within a year, he’ll be the best starter if he bats first. “Believe me, he’s that good that he will break Brian Lara’s 400-yard record, and he has all day to do it,” Clarke said. Clarke then thought about what captain Pat Cummins had said about how well the batting order was doing where it was. That’s why he thought young all-rounder Cameron Green would do well in the first spot.

“From what Patty says, it sounds like he wants as few problems as possible.” Marnus has been great, Smith has four, Travis Head has five, and Mitch Marsh has six. “That means Cameron Green is probably the most likely person to come in and open the batting at this point,” Clarke said. While Clarke thinks Smith could do the job for the country, Callum Ferguson, a former bowler for Australia, also thinks Smith could do it, even though Smith has never opened in a Test or first-class match. I believe he would prepare himself just as well as anyone else to bat first if he chose to do so. I’ve always thought that you need a specialist to bat first, but if Steve Smith came to you and said, “I want to open the batting,” I think he’d do a great job. “He’s looking for a challenge, that next thing that will motivate and inspire him in his career,” Callum said.