Our newest cricket commentator has declared it is time for Australia to ‘pick your best side’.
Our newest cricket commentator Aaron Finch has declared it is time for Australia to “pick your best side” and move on from the Steve Smith opening experiment.
Smith took on the challenge after David Warner retired from Test cricket midway through last summer, and he made just two genuine starts in eight innings before the red-ball side moved out of the spotlight.
With the Sheffield Shield and a landmark five-Test series against India now on the horizon, the issue is bubbling away again — and Finch says Smith should now be suitably “reinvigorated” to accept a move back to No.4 as “the right fit”.
“I was a little bit surprised at the time. Just such a drastic change for such a great player, I think,” Finch told us.
“But I also do understand that he’s got the ability. The innings he played against the West Indies at the Gabba — 91 not out in a tight loss (to the West Indies) was really impressive.
“If you look at it from Steve’s perspective, he’s achieved everything in the game. There’s nothing left for him to tick off, maybe (only) to go past 10,000 runs, which is just around the corner.”
Smith’s push to move up the order was hotly debated and eventually permitted to enable Cameron Green to return to the XI without Mitch Marsh needing to be dropped.
While the makeshift opener largely struggled, Green went on to score a dominant 174 not out against New Zealand and in the next match Marsh put on 80 in a match-winning partnership with Alex Carey.
“(Smith opening) did make a bit of sense when you’re trying to find the best spot for Cameron Green in the side, when everybody’s been quite open about the fact that they want to push him in the side no matter what it takes,” Finch said.
“So I think now that that’s happened in four Test matches, you probably look to reshuffle it back around and pick your best side — which revolves around Steve Smith at No.4.
“He’s won World Cups in T20, 50-over, World Test Championship. He’s been the best player for 10 years in world cricket, in Test cricket.
“I can see where the move came from, Steve putting his hand up and saying ‘you know what, maybe it is time for a new challenge’ and he proved himself a good opener, no doubt about that.
“But, I mean, when you’ve averaged near on 60 over your career, I think it’s time to head back in that direction, in my opinion.”
The solution, according to Finch, includes Travis Head moving to open for the Test side as he does for the white-ball teams.
Travis Head could be moved up the order. Credit: AP
Head’s promotion would put a level of pressure on the middle order while allowing wicketkeeper Alex Carey to play the counter-punching role.
“He’s aggressive, he takes it on,” Finch said.
“All around the world he’s probably proved himself to be an outstanding wicketkeeper and then the runs are really important, especially against a team like India.
“Their bowling attack is so strong that you can’t allow them to dictate terms to you because they’re so consistent. They’re so accurate.
“So the way that he plays and puts the pressure back on oppositions will be a really crucial role at No.7, because there will be early wickets.
“Both new ball attacks are as good as we’ve seen for a long time so that would be a really important role.”
Finch will join the 7Cricket commentary team beginning with the first two Australia-India Tests and the new Big Bash season.
A regular on the mic as a player before calling the Indian Premier League and World Cup matches in recent years, the 37-year-old said the Border-Gavaskar series will be “as evenly matched as you could possibly have” in Test cricket.
