‘If Steve Smith opens…’: Michael Clarke makes bold prediction after David Warner’s retirement | Cricket News

With David Warner hanging up his boots from Test cricket for Australia, a vacancy has opened up at the top of the batting order for the side. There are plenty of players who can stake a claim to be Warner’s replacement at the top of the batting order, including the likes of Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Cameron Green.
The country’s World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has backed Bancroft to take up the role left open after Warner played his 112th and final Test for Australia: against Pakan at the Sydney Cricket Ground last week.
However, Australia’s World Cup winning captain Michael Clarke has thrown his weight behind Steve Smith as Australia’s Test opener. Clarke went as far as saying that the veteran batter can become the best opener in 12 months if he is given a chance.
“I’ll tell you now about Steve Smith. If he wants to open the batting and they give him the chance, he will be the No 1 Test opener within 12 months. He is that good a player,” predicted Clarke on ESPN’s Around the Wicket Podcast. “Don’t be surprised if he breaks Brian Lara’s 400 record because he’s that good and now he’s got the whole day.”
He went on to present his rationale for the bold call.
“He is technically good enough, he lets the ball go well, he’s got a great eye, he’s got beautiful hands. Yes, he might nick the occasional one, he might get LBW but tell me someone who doesn’t. He is that good a player, and maybe it is the challenge he is looking for,” said the former Australia captain.
In 187 innings for Australia, Smith has scored 9514 runs. Of these, almost 6,000 runs have come while batting at No 4 at an average of 61.51. The batter has played 11 innings at No. 3, scoring 1,744 runs at an average of 67.08.