Australia all-rounder Cameron Green opened up on his opening slot ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He said that it depends where Steve Smith wants to bat and would not refuse if he gets an opportunity to open.
The iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia will begin from November 22 with the first Test match set to be played at Perth.
Steve Smith is the ninth-highest run-scorer of the series. Featuring in 18 matches, the right-hander has scored 1,887 runs with an average of 65.06. He also has eight centuries and five half-centuries with the best score of 192 runs.
Since David Warner’s retirement, Smith was promoted to the opening slot. This will be an important series for him to prove himself as an opening batsman.
However, since his promotion, he has had a mixed bag of performances at the opening slot. The 35-year-old has racked up 171 runs at an average of 28.50 in four Test appearances, including a magnificent 91 against the West Indies.
Ahead of the BGT, Cameron Green said that his opening the batting depends on Smith whether he wants to go back to the position he used to bat i.e. number four. Since Smith’s promotion, Cameron Green coming to bat at number four has smashed a stellar 174 runs against New Zealand.
For the BGT series, there seems to be uncertainty about Australia‘s top six, with Smith being largely underwhelming as an opener for the past few months.
Speaking with Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast, Green said, “I think it is totally up to Steve [Smith]. He has earned the right to bat where he wants to bat and whatever happens, I am happy to move around him. He is a great of the game, and he has earned the right to bat where he wants to bat.”
“You always want to put your hand up to play for Australia and I think opening would be a difficult one, but not something I would say no to. We will have to see what the selectors decide to do, but at the same time I was open to do it six or nine months ago,” he added.
Another factor in moving Cameron Green up the order will be how it will affect his bowling. The lanky pace-bowling all-rounder has 35 Test wickets in 28 Tests, including a five-wicket haul against South Africa in 2022.
“I have done it a couple of times for Australia in T20 cricket,” said Green on opening the batting after bowling. “I think I bowled the 20th over in India and then had to open the batting, which was a pretty tough ask. That has to be a consideration. I know Shane Watson used to do it, and I am not too sure if his overs went down when he decided to be an opener, but it is another discussion,” he added.
