Shane Watson's startling Steve Smith call amid debate over David Warner's replacement

Former Australian opener Shane Watson has claimed Steve Smith could sensationally move up the order after David Warner's retirement if the team needed, despite Ricky Ponting's belief the team needs a recognised opener. Warner is playing his final Test match after 112 games wearing the baggy green.

However, his departure will leave a big hole to fill at the top of the order for Australia with debate ongoing over who should take his position. Both Mark Waugh and Michael Vaughan claimed Cameron Green should return to the team and play a Watson-type role and move up the order.

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Ricky Ponting has backed Cameron Bancroft as the specialist opener. However, Watson has now weighed-in and has now thrown Smith's name into the group of players that could open.

Smith averages 58 in Test cricket and has been Australia's No.4 for years. Moving Smith has not really crossed the minds of most Aussies having cemented his position has one of the best batters in history.

Smith did suffer a slight drop of form, for his lofty standards, having averaged below 50 in 2023. And Watson believes to reignite the mercurial batter, a move up the order could prove the challenge he needs.

“I like, knowing the person, the idea of Steve Smith opening,” Watson told reporters Gideon Haigh and Peter Lalor at a cricket event. “The reason why is that No. 3 is the perfect position for him. When he’s the man, he feels like he is the one who has to score the bulk of runs for his team, and when he was in his most prolific period, which was a long period of time, most of it was batting at No. 3.

“When he was at No. 3 … he was scoring runs for fun, but when he comes in at No. 4, often the work’s been done, and finding motivation is more challenging for him. Steve Smith opening the batting, he has got the technique, is the challenge he needs."

While Watson did float Smith as a potential move, Watson also backed Green. The allrounder was dropped for Mitch Marsh in the Ashes, but has been backed by a number of former players to return.

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Green is vying with Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw for Warner's spot, but the all-rounder is the only one of the four without experience opening the batting. But coach Andrew McDonald hinted at Green winning the vacant spot when he revealed he was firmly in contention.

"All options will be considered," McDonald said last week. "We're not going to make the decision until the deadline, which would be the West Indies game. But yeah, Cameron Green, as a discussion around who are the best six batters, would definitely be in the discussion."

Green has a significantly better record at Test and first-class level than Bancroft, Harris and Renshaw, but would be batting out of position if he replaces Warner. The argument about picking Green is he'd be a better option than the other contenders regardless of where he bats.

Ponting recently backed Bancroft as the opener, despite Pat Cummins also admitting the team doesn't necessarily need to have a specialist in the position.

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