Chinmay Kore
Banned
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- 15 Mar 2015
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Darren Lehmann, Australia's head coach, on Monday (November 2) said Test skipper Steven Smith had the the full freedom to choose his batting position and that there was no pressure on him to demote himself in the batting order to provide "more balance" to the line-up. Lehmann's comments come a day after Smith told News Corp that he would drop down to No. 4 in a bid to protect the fragile top-order.
"He (Smith) can bat wherever he wants," Lehmann told Sky Sports Radio. "I said 'if you want to bat three you can bat three, if you want four you can bat four' - we discussed it, talked about the pros and cons. He had great success at three at the Ashes mixed in with some indifferent performances. He has also had great success at four, so it doesn't matter so much - it's more the (team) selection."
Smith's decision to drop to four will give the returning Usman Khawaja a run at his favoured No. 3 slot, something Lehmann felt would help the 28-year-old settle in. Khawaja, whose played the last of his nine Tests in 2013, is tipped to overcome the stuttering start to his Test career (377 runs from nine Tests at 25.13) and hold down a spot in the top-order, which has lost the likes of Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson to retirements following the 2015 Ashes.
At the Gabba, the venue for the first Test against New Zealand, Khawaja has 839 runs at 69.92 in eight Sheffield Shield games and Lehmann believes the "time is right" for Khawaja to stake his claim with a solid showing at his home ground.
"Khawaja has been successful at three, so we have given him the opportunity to bat where he does for his state (Queensland), give him first crack. We know he is a great technician and he has time which is important at this level," Lehmann said. "He knows conditions well here at the Gabba - the time is right for him to perform."
The first Test of the three-Test series gets under way in Brisbane on Thursday (November 5).
WWW.Cricbuzz.com
"He (Smith) can bat wherever he wants," Lehmann told Sky Sports Radio. "I said 'if you want to bat three you can bat three, if you want four you can bat four' - we discussed it, talked about the pros and cons. He had great success at three at the Ashes mixed in with some indifferent performances. He has also had great success at four, so it doesn't matter so much - it's more the (team) selection."
Smith's decision to drop to four will give the returning Usman Khawaja a run at his favoured No. 3 slot, something Lehmann felt would help the 28-year-old settle in. Khawaja, whose played the last of his nine Tests in 2013, is tipped to overcome the stuttering start to his Test career (377 runs from nine Tests at 25.13) and hold down a spot in the top-order, which has lost the likes of Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson to retirements following the 2015 Ashes.
At the Gabba, the venue for the first Test against New Zealand, Khawaja has 839 runs at 69.92 in eight Sheffield Shield games and Lehmann believes the "time is right" for Khawaja to stake his claim with a solid showing at his home ground.
"Khawaja has been successful at three, so we have given him the opportunity to bat where he does for his state (Queensland), give him first crack. We know he is a great technician and he has time which is important at this level," Lehmann said. "He knows conditions well here at the Gabba - the time is right for him to perform."
The first Test of the three-Test series gets under way in Brisbane on Thursday (November 5).
WWW.Cricbuzz.com
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