Justin Langer openly opposes Steve Smith

Ex-Australia head coach Justin Langer reckons that Steve Smith should bat at No. 4 in Test cricket. Langer believes that Smith can adapt and score runs at any number but he is still best suited to the No. 4 position in Test cricket.

Steve Smith's batting position has been a talking point of Australian cricket for the past few months.

Smith used to bat at No. 4 but moved up to open the innings when David Warner retired from Test cricket. Smith's move also allowed Australia to accommodate Cameron Green in the Playing XI.

However, it did not go down too well for him as his numbers took a hit. Smith has an average of just 28.5 while opening the innings as compared to his career average of 56.97 in 109 Tests.

He was constantly troubled with the new ball in the two-Test series he played as an opener.

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Justin Langer gives his viewpoint on Steve Smith's batting position in Tests

Justin Langer feels that Steve Smith is best suited to the No. 4 spot. Although Smith is versatile, Langer feels that No. 4 is a specialized position and Smith should go back to his old batting spot.

“He’s the greatest player we’ve had. Great players adapt, they can bat anywhere in the order. For the Australian cricket team, I think he’s best suited to bat number four,” Langer said on the Cricket et al podcast.

“I think it’s (batting at No. 4) a really specialized position. It’s not that he can’t do it (open the batting). I’d love to see him bat at No. 4, but then they have to work out who doesn’t play," Langer added.

“My observation was that it was more about trying to get Cameron Green in and Mitch Marsh had taken that [all-rounders’] role, but they wanted to get the best young player into the XI,” he further added.

Usman Khawaja wants Steve Smith at No. 4

A few days ago, Steve Smith's opening parner Usman Khawaja also expressed his desire to play Smith at No. 4. He believes that the opposition have a big chance to get him out early if he comes out to open.

“I know Steve Smith can score runs at one, two, three, four, five or six, but the man averages 60 at four, so my preference has always been Smudge [Smith] at four,” Khawaja had said during a recent Cricket Australia content capture day.

“I love seeing him come in at No. 4 … you get two wickets, and who do you get walking in? The best batsman in the world. When you put him up to open, I feel like you’re kind of giving them a chance to get at him early," he added.

Steve Smith's desire to open the innings

It was not just the selectors' decision to move Steve Smith up the order to open the innings. Instead, Smith himself publicly said that he would love a new challenge in Test cricket and would love to face the new red cherry.

With Smith at the opening spot, Cameron Green was given the chance to bat at No. 4 and he has done well in that position so far.

In the New Zealand Tests, he scored 238 runs in four innings at an average of 79.33 and emerged as the highest run-getter of the series.

Steve Smith's next Test assignment will be the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 against India. The 35-year-old is likely to face a world-class bowling attack from India which is going to test him in all phases.