Last Update: January 25, 2023, 13:01 IST
Steve Smith recently scored back to back centuries in BBL. (AFP photo)
Not just T20 Internationals, the 58-year-old says Australia selectors should consider Smith for the opening batsman’s role in next year’s 50-over World Cup in India
Legendary Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy has questioned the national selectors for not considering Steve Smith in the opening batsman’s role in white-ball cricket.
The 33-year-old Smith has scored 328 runs in four innings for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL), with scores of 36, 101, 125 not out and 66.
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Healy says Smith’s credentials as an opener are hard to ignore, especially since David Warner and Aaron Finch are nowhere near their best.
Finch retired from ODIs late last year after a bad season that also saw the hosts ruled out of T20Is World Cup at home ahead of time.
Healy also compared Smith to the great Don Bradman and said it was a “privilege” to watch the cricketer bat.
Asked if he would like to see Smith open in the shortest format, Healy said, “Sure, how could you not?”
“Who opened with (David) Warner in the T20 World Cup? It was Finchy (Aaron Finch) who was the captain. Both Warner and Finch aren’t playing anywhere close to Smith, so the way he’s batting now, he’s got ahead of both of them in my eyes.” sportsday nsw on Wednesday.
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The 58-year-old said that not just T20 Internationals, the selectors should consider Smith for the opening batsman’s role in the 50-over World Cup. India next year.
We don’t play much T20 internationals so hopefully he does that (big scores in BBL) before the next World Cup. Even in 50-over games, I will open with him.”
Healy indicated that very few batsmen in Australia came close to Smith in terms of technique.
“I think it’s a privilege to watch him. When he’s out, the difference between him and the rest is unbelievable, seeing how hard other guys are hitting it, it’s very Bradman-like.
“He’s doing it with such ease and how he’s done it, he’ll have a technical idea of what he’s doing – he’s talking about grip and everything like that, but I like his legs, His legs are still there and his head is still there.
“When he played his best maybe three years ago or four years ago, he was walking everywhere but when the bowler bowled he was calm, and his feet were frozen.
“He’s finding the middle of the bat incredibly often and it feels like a privilege to see him playing like that, he wasn’t doing that six months ago.”
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)