Steve Smith said he saw himself as an opener for the first time in his Test career.© AFP
Star Australia batsman Steve Smith felt his team were not taking him seriously when he told them he wanted to move to the top of the batting order following the retirement of David Warner. Smith today said he thought of himself as an opener for the first time in a 13-year Test career when he played against England in last year's Ashes series, when Warner first gave signs of his possible retirement from the game's longest format .
However, it was only when the team landed in Perth last month for the start of the NRMA Insurance Series against Pakistan that the 34-year-old presented his concept to the national selection committee, which also included men's team coach Andrew McDonald.
“I'd been pushing it for a few weeks, even before Perth and I might have even randomly launched it in England and said I'm happy to be playing at the top,” cricket.com.au. quoted Smith as saying.
His comments came today ahead of his first Test practice ahead of the West Indies Test series.
“In Perth I said 'after Davey is done I'd actually like to go there' and I don't think they (the selectors) took me seriously until I got to Sydney (for the pink test against Pakistan) and said 'You know you, I'm really sincere here,” the right-hand man added.
“I would like to be at the top and face the new ball, and they said 'we'll take that into consideration and see how it all looks'. They obviously really wanted Cameron (Green) in the side get as good and play our best six hitters, and for me it didn't sit right to let him come in and bat at the top. I've played a long time and I'm an experienced player, and I think it's something I have to do have done,” concluded the Sydney-born cricketer.
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