Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has lashed out at the team management and selectors for elevating Steve Smith to the role of Test opener and ignoring Cameron Bancroft in the squad. After David Warner’s retirement, Australia will play their first Test match on Wednesday against West Indies as Smith is expected to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja after the star batter expressed his wish to don the new role.
Hughes didn’t hold back and said he nearly vomited after he got to know that Smith would open the innings for Australia in Tests despite Bancroft’s consistent performances in the domestic circuit.
“I nearly vomited. I’ve got no doubts in my mind that if Cameron Bancroft played for New South Wales, he’d be in the Test side. He is in his prime,” he had told 10 News First.
Smith expressed his desire to open the innings after Warner’s retirement. He revealed he had been mulling the idea as far back as the Ashes in England last year, but the prospect only crystallised during the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney this month.
The former Aussie skipper further pointed out that Steve Smith is going through a lean patch and the first thing he should do is batting at number 4 to get his mojo back.
“Touch this, do this, do that [imitates Smith]… never want to leave when I am given out. He’s like a petulant kid. Smith is struggling at the moment. He’s been an absolute superstar, but as an opener, he is no more opener than me opening the bowling. He needs to stay at No.4, get his mojo back if you like, without all the fluff,” he said.
Hughes also lashed out at management for ignoring performances in Sheffield Shield.
“I think the other, and a very important thing is, you must reward those that are performing well, and our Sheffield Shield competition – yes it is not as strong as it used to be when he had our Test players playing in it – it is still the competition from which you can have a look and see who is playing well. I just think get Bancroft in there, it also sends a message to the Shield players that if you perform, you’ll get picked. You may as well go and play marbles – it would be just shattering,” he added.
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