Shane Watson recommends an unexpected replacement for David Warner in the Tests opener, with former teammate Shane Watson supporting the next South Welshman to flourish at the top of the order.
Warner will retire from red-ball cricket after this week’s New Year’s Test against Pakistan. He is leaving Australia looking for a new opener ahead of the Frank-Worrell Trophy against the West Indies this month.
Shane Watson recommends an unexpected replacement for David Warner
Australian ex-all-rounder Shane Watson has proposed that Steve Smith be elevated to the top of the order to replace David Warner as the Test opener.
Smith’s technique, according to Watson, merits a top-order slot, and the ace hitter needs the challenge to be inspired to reclaim his peak form.
With Warner ready to retire from the longest format after the current Test over Pakistan in Sydney, Cricket Australia (CA).
Since his debut in 2011, the southpaw has established himself as one of the finest aggressive openers in the game. The analysts are divided on whether Australia should choose a like-for-like successor.
According to Fox Cricket, Watson stated on stage at a cricket event that Smith’s prolific success came when he batted at No. 3.
He claimed that when everything is in place, the former captain struggles to find inspiration. Smith also intimated that if he is not given a fair challenge, he may retire sooner than planned.
Smith resumed his career after finishing his year-long ban in 2019. The 34-year-old broke many records during that year’s Ashes series in England. He scored 774 runs in four Tests while batting at No. 4.
Steve Smith finished 2023 as the second-highest Test run-getter with 929 runs in 13 matches at 42.22 with three hundred.
The right-handed batter hit a century in the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval. He led his team to a 209-run triumph.
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