Michael Clarke call backfires as Steve Smith set for batting order change for Test summer

Michael Clarke's stunning claim that Steve Smith will be the best opener in world cricket has sensationally backfired after it was revealed the Aussie batsman is destined to move back down the order this summer. Veteran cricket journalist Robbert Craddock reported Smith won’t be opening the batting in the upcoming Test series against India after failing to make any significant runs at the top of the order last summer.

The news comes after former Australian Test captain Clarke said at the start of the last Test summer that he had no doubts Smith would thrive as an opener. "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 said on ESPN at the time. "He is that good a player. He is technically good enough, he lets the ball go well, he's got a great eye, he's got beautiful hands."

Clarke also made the staggering call that Smith could potentially break Brian Lara's world record score of 400 as an opener. "Smith doesn't want to wait. He doesn't want Warner or Khawaja to make a hundred, or Marnus to make a double hundred," he added.

"He wants to make a double hundred. So if he opens the batting, he will be the best opener within 12 months and the other thing, don't be surprised if he breaks Brian Lara's 400 record. Because he is that good and he's got the whole day."

Smith volunteered to take David Warner's place at the top of the order when the veteran opener called time on his Test career last summer but didn't have much success. Smith only made one decent score against the West Indies at the Gabba and largely failed to make any significant runs. Smith made just 171 runs in eight innings at the top of the order against the West Indies and New Zealand, with only one half-century to his name.

He averaged 28.25 as an opener - well below his career average of 56.97. And in the New Zealand series alone he averaged just 12.75 across four innings.

Smith's push up the order allowed Cameron Green to return to the side without Mitch Marsh needing to be dropped. And while the makeshift opener struggled for runs, Green went on to score a dominant 174 not out against New Zealand and in the next match Marsh put on 80 in a match-winning partnership with Alex Carey, showcasing why they both deserve a spot in the side.

But Craddock says that everyone connected in cricket says Smith won't be opening this summer. The veteran journalist believes Smith's technique simply isn’t suited to facing a ball that swings around early in the innings and he is far more suited to batting at No. 3, 4 or 5.

Travis Head could open alongside Usman Khawaja

Craddock says Smith's move back into the middle order will see current No. 5 Travis Head promoted to opener alongside Usman Khawaja given his dominance in the role in both ODI and T20 cricket. While opening isn't Head's preference, Craddock believes it is the best option for Australia as it stands.

"I’m particularly taken by Head’s form because Steve Smith isn’t going to stay opening the batting in the Test series against India, it just won’t happen," Craddock told SEN Whateley. "They have minimal options, but Head is at the front line of that queue even though he doesn't really want to be. I don't think he sees himself as an opening bat in Test cricket.

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"But I think if he does accept the position - and so he should because the team should come first - to open the batting with Usman Khawaja, I think he brings credit points with him. There is a bit of a cushion if he fails because it wasn't his plan, he never volunteered to go there. So if he fails, he has the rider of saying, ‘Hey, I was going perfectly fine down the order, by the way’. But I think he's the outstanding favourite for the position at the moment."