Andrew McDonald explains why Steve Smith will return to No. 4 vs India

Before the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Steve Smith’s career as an opener in Test cricket has come to an end. In order to return to No. 4, where he has amassed 5,966 runs at an average of 61.5 and smashed 19 hundreds and 26 fifties, Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald said that he and captain Pat Cummins made the decision together.

Following David Warner’s retirement from the game’s longest format earlier this year, Smith took over at the top of the order. With just 171 runs from eight innings at an average of 28.50, the right-handed batter did not have a spectacular opening performance. Nonetheless, McDonald stated that from the perspective of the squad, it was the finest choice because it let the World Test Champions to include all-rounder Cameron Green in the lineup. Smith will, however, return to the role that has given him incredible success as Australia attempts to earn a spot in the WTC final for the 2023–2025 season.

Patty [Cummins] and I are ultimately responsible for making that choice. As a team, we simply believed that it was better for the team for him to move away from opening, just like in the leadership group. At the time last year, we obviously thought it was best for the squad for him to open,” McDonald stated on Saturday, October 19, during ABC Radio’s Summer Grandstand program.

We were able to move Cameron [Green] into the No. 4 position as a result. We have numerous challenges this summer, and you plan out what the future looks like as time goes on. It was decided by everyone. In the end, Steve doesn’t make that one,” he continued.

Andrew McDonald discusses potential successors to Usman Khawaja at the top.

With some reliable performances both at home and on foreign trips, Usman Khawaja has established himself as an essential member of the Australian red-ball outfit. However, when Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Renshaw, and young Sam Konstas represent their respective clubs in the upcoming Sheffield Shield match on Sunday, the audition process to determine his opening partner will start.

“All of the names mentioned above are in contention for the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, which begins on November 22 in Perth,” McDonald said, adding that Harris, Bancroft, and Konstas are in the Australia “A” team for two four-day matches against India “A.”

Sam Konstas has been given the opportunity to work within the Australia A setup and go about his business as a result of his performance in the first Shield game. “Some of the (Australia A) selections have a bit of an eye toward the future, and some have a bit of an eye toward the present,” he stated.

Rather, the standard contenders—Bancroft, Harris, Renshaw, and Konstas—are being discussed. It’s not a bat-off, though; every aspect will be taken into account. We have both right-handed and left-handed alternatives.

Also Read: Ishan Kishan likely to travel Australia with India A team

Some of our players have accumulated runs over time, therefore we give them credit for it at that moment. However, they’re all currently being discussed,” McDonald said.