In Test cricket, Marnus Labuschagne should open the innings rather than Steve Smith, according to former Australian captain Mark Taylor’s opinion. According to the former Australian opener, Smith should keep batting where he always has because he was Australia’s greatest player over the previous ten years.
Smith offered to open the innings after David Warner announced his retirement from Test cricket. He has been doing so ever since the home series against the West Indies, but he has had very little success.
While Marnus Labuschagne got his last century in July 2023, he has been struggling for a few months now. In Wellington, the right-hander also scored two single-figure score in Wellington against New Zealand.
Steve stay where he was and Marnus Labuschagne to move up- Mark Taylor
In a conversation with Wide World of Sports, Taylor praised Smith for raising up to the order to make room for Cameron Green, but he believes Marnus Labuschagne ought to have taken the initiative.
“I like the fact Steve Smith put his hand up and said ‘I want to be the opener, I’m going to be the one to move up the order because we want to get Cameron Green in the side’ and that’s been a great call really to get Cameron Green in because he made 174 not out in this Test match,” said Taylor.
Green’s move to the No. 4 position paid off spectacularly when they played New Zealand in Wellington. The all-round player laid the groundwork for Australia’s 172-run victory with a fantastic effort of 174 in the first innings.
“I would’ve liked to have seen Marnus Labuschagne move up to open the batting because Steve Smith has been our best player and is our best player for the last decade so I would’ve liked to have seen Steve stay where he was and Marnus to move up but Marnus Labuschagne was less keen,” Taylor added.
I think Smithy is looking for a new challenge- Mark Taylor not sure he’ll want to move back down
Taylor said that even though Smith has amassed over 10,000 runs in Test cricket, he hasn’t appeared to be at his best. The former batter from Australia said:
“I think Smithy is looking for a new challenge. He’s got almost 10,000 Test match runs and I’ve just thought over the last year, 18 months, he hasn’t looked quite at his best. I’m not sure he’ll want to move back down because it’ll be admitting defeat that it hasn’t worked and don’t forget in the last Test match at the Gabba he made 91 in the last innings,”
In the near future, Taylor continued, Australia’s middle-order batters will need to do better.
“Smith said he’d do it and moved up, and it’s a good move for the team and I think eventually it’ll be a good move for Australia. Although our lower to middle order needs to do a little bit of work,”
The first test was won by Australia by 172 runs. Australia and New Zealand will play their second Test in Christchurch on March 8.