Smith ‘didn’t ask’ for return to No.4 — but he’s very happy to go back

Steve Smith has denied asking to be moved away from the Australia Test top order heading into the 2024/2025 Summer, though he’s certainly happy to be moving back to number four either way.

The 35-year-old partnered Usman Khawaja in several Test matches last summer, notably notching an unbeaten 91 against the West Indies at the Gabba amid the top-spot trial.

With Cameron Green’s injury though, a shuffle will see Smith back at four this year.

Chins got wagging after selector George Bailey  last week declared Smith had “expressed a desire” to move down the order—a claim Smith has since looked to put to bed as he prepares for Australia’s home-soil campaign to begin in early November.

“I got asked where I’d prefer to bat and I said ‘four’,” Smith said.

“I saw a few things last week saying I’d requested to bat at four. That wasn’t the case. I said ‘I’m happy to bat wherever you’d like me to bat’, but four would be ideal. I also said I’m happy batting wherever.”

Read: Cameron Green back surgery means he’ll miss India Test series

Smith, who conceded he’s “not really too fussed” about where he plays in any given Test match, admitted teammates Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne had probably played more of a role; the pair had made it clear to both Smith and the Australian team coaches that they preferred him coming out behind them rather than alongside.

“They hated me up top… so that was a big part of it,” he said.

“It was good fun, having a crack at something new. I still feel like I could do a job there, for sure… [but] I’ve done pretty well at four for a number of years now. They call it security behind them. I don’t know, you’ll have to ask them about it.

“Honestly, I’m not that fussed [but] they didn’t like it at all… I can understand that.”

In the Sheffield Shield, the star batter backed up Monday’s three-run knock with a duck today.