There was plenty of hype around Steve Smith’s first Test match as an opener but the Australian great fell cheaply on the opening day of the first Test against West Indies.
While it was a massive failure for Steve Smith (12), West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph will forever remember this moment – he struck with his first ball in Test cricket to dismiss one of the greatest batters in history,
Steaming in to bowl his first ball in Test cricket, Shamar Joseph, a right-arm pacer managed to induce an outside edge, which was ultimately caught by Justin Greaves in the second slip.
But while it was a day to remember for Shamar Joseph, it was a big failure for Steve Smith and the Australian management. Despite criticism over the non-selection of regular openers Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Renshaw, and Marcus Harris, skipper Pat Cummins and head coach Andrew McDonald decided to give Smith a go at the spot.
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Now, with a failure in his very first inning as an opener, some criticism is expected for scoring just 12 runs against a depleted West Indies side. To add to that, Steve Smith has been struggling with form and hasn’t scored a ton in his last 14 innings.
Considering his form, it might be a questionable decision to make Smith bat in the toughest position, but it is a challenge that the batter is willing to take. Only results will now tell what happens next to Steve Smith and his batting position in the XI.
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