The 34-year-old veteran, chosen unexpectedly over Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, and Matt Renshaw, will be opening for Australia in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies in Adelaide. This marks his debut in the new role, starting Wednesday.

“They (selectors) were obviously very keen to get Cameron (Green) in the side as well and play our best six batters, and for me it didn’t sit right to have him come in and bat up top,” he told reporters.

“I’ve played for a long time and I’m an experienced player, and I think it’s something I should have done.”

Mitchell Marsh’s resurgence in the all-rounder role has led to the sidelining of the highly rated Green. In a strategic move, Smith has been shifted up the order instead of selecting a specialist opener, allowing Green to return primarily as a batsman. Smith had been considering this idea since the Ashes in England last year, and it finally materialized during the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney this month.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity of getting in and facing the new ball,” he said.

“It’s something that isn’t really foreign to me. I’ve batted on numerous occasions where I’ve come in early doors and I batted at number three for quite a while.”

Ex-captain Smith, with 105 Tests and 9,514 runs under his belt, prefers batting early because “I don’t like waiting to bat.

“I actually don’t like watching cricket that much, believe it or not,” he said.

“I’d prefer to be out there batting. It gets a bit boring sitting there (with the pads on) but I don’t have to do that any more.”

Australian cricket sensation Steve Smith has expressed his desire to step into the opening spot for the Aussie Test team, a move that has caught many by surprise following David Warner’s retirement.

Smith, a seasoned 34-year-old batter who currently holds the No.4 position, where he boasts an impressive average of 61.50, is eyeing the challenge of opening in Tests for the first time in his 13-year-long Test career.

While coach Andrew McDonald has expressed skepticism about the shift, Smith has found support in the form of a ringing endorsement from his teammate Marnus Labuschagne. Labuschagne believes that if given the opportunity to open, Smith would maintain an average in the 60s, showcasing his adaptability and prowess with the red ball.

“He wants it, that’s for sure. And jeez, what can’t that guy do?”

Labuschagne shared with cricket.com.au after Australia’s triumphant 3-0 series victory against Pakistan.

Labuschagne continued,

“He averages 67 at four, 62 at three, 58 at five. I’m sure if we go down that path and give it to him, he’s going to average in the 60s opening. I think it could be a good challenge for him. It could be one that gets him out and gets his beans going, out (to bat) straightaway, the ball swinging around and nipping around, he’s got a beautiful technique to combat any type of bowling. There’s probably no one you want out there more.”

However, the prospect of Smith’s transition to an opening role may need to wait, as the Australian think tank seems inclined to explore options like Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, or Cameron Bancroft to fill Warner’s shoes in the upcoming Test series.

Australian cricket luminary Steve Smith isn’t hanging up his Test cricket bat this season, bucking retirement speculation. Despite a less-than-stellar performance by his lofty standards, Smith is still animatedly discussing his ambitions, as clarified by his manager Warren Craig, debunking any parallels with David Warner’s impending retirement after the third Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground next year, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

“At this point in time, I can debunk that (retirement). He is still talking about things he wants to achieve,”

asserted Smith’s manager, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Widely regarded as a modern-era great, Smith boasts an impressive track record with 9,320 runs in 102 Tests at an average of 58.61, including 32 centuries and 39 fifties. In ODIs, he has notched up 5,356 runs in 155 matches at an average of 43.54, featuring 12 centuries and 32 fifties.

However, this year has proven challenging for Australia’s premier batter. While Smith managed to amass 777 runs in 11 Tests, averaging 43.16with three centuries and two fifties in 20 innings, the figures fall slightly below his habitual standards of averaging in the 50s and 60s in the whites.

In ODIs, Smith’s performance was subdued, accumulating 439 runs at an average of 31.35 and a strike rate exceeding 83, with three half-centuries in 15 innings and a high score of 74. Despite Australia’s triumph in the ICC Cricket World Cup, Smith’s contribution was somewhat lackluster, registering 302 runs in 10 matches at an average of 33.55, with two fifties.

Smith’s aspirations extend to the ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA next year, aiming to secure a unique feat for Australia by holding all three major ICC titles concurrently â€?the World Test Championship, 50-over Cricket World Cup, and T20 World Cup.

Anticipation also surrounds a blockbuster home series against India, where Smith seeks redemption for Australia’s series losses to India in 2019 and 2021 on home turf. Additionally, he eyes the milestone of becoming the fourth Australian player to reach 10,000 runs on home soil next season.

Amid talks about his future during the Sydney Test against South Africa in January, Smith, unsure about playing another Test in whites at home, hinted at a potential shift. The cricketer’s recent performances in subcontinent conditions against India and the Ashes against England, however, raise questions about a possible decline, with Smith accumulating 518 runs in 17 innings at an average of 34.53, including a century and two fifties in nine matches.

Despite a century in the ICC World Test Championship final, Smith missed opportunities to establish himself as Australia’s biggest-match player in Tests in Delhi, Headingley, The Oval and the ICC Cricket World Cup final.

Former Australian skipper Mark Taylor doesn’t rule out the prospect of Smith experiencing another golden run but cautions that batters typically don’t improve in their mid-thirties.

“It does not mean they are done, but normally you have seen their best by then,” remarked Taylor, adding, “The early 30s would be the purple patch for most players.”

The upcoming home series against Pakistan and West Indies provides Smith with an opportunity to amass a substantial number of runs, capitalizing on his penchant for big challenges. Reflecting on his triumphant return four years ago after the ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal during the Ashes series in England, Smith faced challenges at home against Kiwis and Pakistan, failing to score centuries.

“He had that extra motivation to prove he would come back an even better player – and on pitches that did a bit,” recalled Taylor. “He did that, and funnily enough, he came back in the Australian summer and did not make a lot of runs,” concluded Taylor.

In a bold move by Cricket Australia, star players Steve Smith and Adam Zampa have been sent home from India ahead of the pivotal 3rd T20I in Guwahati. With three matches remaining in the series, the decision to recall these key players reflects a strategic shake-up in the squad. Additionally, four more players, namely Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, and Sean Abbott, are set to depart on Wednesday as part of a comprehensive workload management plan.

The team’s restructuring includes the introduction of replacements for the series. Wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe and power-hitter Ben McDermott are set to join the squad before the 3rd T20I in Guwahati. Moreover, Ben Dwarshuis and spinner Chris Green from New South Wales are scheduled to link up with the team in Raipur ahead of the fourth match.

The revised Australia squad for the 3rd T20I includes players such as Matthew Wade (c), Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Chris Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, and Kane Richardson.

Reflecting on the changes, Australia’s stand-in head coach Andre Borovec shared:

“One of the things we had in our planning coming into this series was to have a look at Steve (Smith) up top, and we’ve had a chance to do that now. We’re extremely happy with the intent that he’s shown with the bat; (I) couldn’t fault it actually.”

Looking ahead, Australia is gearing up for a series of 10 T20 internationals leading up to next year’s T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean.

Australia T20 squad: Matthew Wade (c), Aaron Hardie, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott (withdrawn), Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Chris Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (withdrawn), Glenn Maxwell (withdrawn), Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith (withdrawn), Marcus Stoinis (withdrawn), Kane Richardson, and Adam Zampa (withdrawn).

India T20 squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, and Shreyas Iyer (last two matches only).