West Indian great Brian Lara is confident Australian champion Steve Smith has the technique to handle the elevation to opening the batting for his country.
One of the greatest batters in history, Lara cited the mental strength of the New South Welshman as being critical to his ability to succeed in his new role for Australia.
After weeks of discussion involving the replacement for David Warner, the 34-year-old revealed his desire to embrace a new challenge during the SCG Test last week.
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Lara, who will provide analysis for Fox Cricket during the two Test series between the West Indies and Australia beginning in Adelaide next Wednesday, believes Smith will succeed.
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“I’m almost sure that Steve Smith would have had a part to play in that decision and you know, batting at number three (or four), you have got to have the frame of mind that you can be out there in the first over. So I don’t see it being a problem,” he told Fox Cricket’s podcast The Follow On.
“I don’t see it being like a number six or number seven batsman getting to open, (who is) accustomed facing the ball when it’s older.
“So I feel that he’s got the technique. He has definitely got the mental strength to do it. And I think that he’s most likely going to be a success with it as well.”
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Lara is mindful specialist openers Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris, who has an Australian contract, will be disappointed by the decision to reshuffle the batting order.
“A lot of other batters would be sort of disappointed that they didn’t have the opportunity, but (with Smith) in the mid-30s … I don’t see him failing at that position, even though I’d like to see it in the first two Test matches.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes Smith will benefit from not having to deal with short-pitched bowling as frequently in the infancy of his innings.
“The opponents generally target him with short stuff as soon as he walks out there these days and maybe if he opens the batting, he can get to 30 or 40 before they go for that,” Vaughan said.
Pakistan great Wasim Akram was concerned leading into the recent three Test series against Australia that the attack would fall into the trap of bowling too short early in innings.
Lara, too, is hopeful that the West Indian attack try to use the new ball rather than peppering Smith and fellow opener Usman Khawaja with short-pitched bowling in Adelaide and Brisbane.
“I hope (they don’t) because the more you bang the ball into the wicket earlier, you know, it loses its shine very early. I think that it’s an opportunity, of course depending on the surface and the atmosphere, to use the new ball,” he said.
“Steve Smith, over the years, has been able to alter his technique, work on areas that he’s been weak on. But generally, you know, most batsmen have some form of weakness against the new ball and coming out to bat is when the bowler is at his strongest.
“So hopefully that’s not one of the tactics that we’re going to use early. I think that’s counter-productive. I think we’ve got some wonderful bowlers that we can sort of explore and see how we can get the early players out.”
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