Smith no stop-gap option as Test opener: Bailey

The decision to install Steve Smith as Australia's next opener has been made with an eye to potentially extending the former skipper's already fabled Test career and is not simply a stop-gap measure to reshuffle the middle-order, selection chair George Bailey confirmed today.

Bailey revealed the key reason for Smith's promotion for the upcoming two-Test NRMA Insurance Series against West Indies was to allow the reinstatement of allrounder Cameron Green, who will slot into Smith's former role at number four.

But the decision, made in consultation with men's team coach Andrew McDonald and Test skipper Pat Cummins who hold the final say in composing the batting order, was made with a view to the longer-term rather than simply filling the hole left by David Warner's retirement.

Bailey reaffirmed the national selection panel – himself, Tony Dodemaide and McDonald – believed the Test team should comprise the country's best six batters and, now that Warner has quit Test cricket, that includes 24-year-old Green.

The decision to add Queensland opener Matthew Renshaw as the "extra batter" for the West Indies series starting January 17 underscores their view he is the next-best credentialled ahead of fellow first-class openers Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft.

Bailey said the panel's desire to get Green back into the Test XI after he lost his place to a resurgent Mitchell Marsh during last year's Ashes series in the UK was a catalyst for Smith expressing his interest in the opening role.

Australia Test squad v West Indies: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.

And the value-adding benefit of that move is the genuine enthusiasm Smith has espoused in taking on the new challenge, given he has repeatedly indicated he remains a series-by-series proposition when quizzed about his future in the five-day format.

"For all intents and purposes, this is where Steve wants to stay," Bailey told reporters in the wake of the 13-man Test squad's release today.

"One of the things I'm really excited about the change is that I think he's really motivated and energised and excited about the opportunity, and fingers crossed that can provide some longevity in the format.

"For someone who has achieved as much as he has over such a long period of time across all formats, it's a challenge or an itch he'd like to scratch and ultimately for us, as a team, it’s something that fits.

"It's selfless that someone who's had such success in one position or a couple of positions in the middle order, that he's willing and hungry to have a crack at something different.

"And it provides an opportunity to slot Greeny into number four where he's had success for Western Australia.

"The regard in which we hold Cameron and the way the rest of that batting order is functioning left us feeling we have someone we think is pretty talented who was potentially going to find it pretty hard to get any Test cricket in the next 12 months or so."

Bailey said the panel had discussed the possibility of a straight swap of Green for Warner in the opening role, but opted to keep the young gun in the middle-order where he has excelled for Western Australia.

"I think he's technically capable of doing that (opening)," Bailey said of Green.

"But also as a younger guy who is potentially going to bowl some overs as well, and given the enormous success at first-class level wherever he's batted but particularly at four or five, I think it (four) is the ideal spot for him to set him up for success."

Bailey also pointed out Australia's Test team had a history of installing batters to the opening role who had cut their teeth in the middle-order, and cited the example of Smith's impending opening partner Usman Khawaja who continues to bat at number four when captaining Queensland.

The focus on filling Warner's position with someone who currently opens for their state team in the Marsh Sheffield Shield meant the speculation in the lead-up to today's announcement was around Test-capped openers Harris and Bancroft.

But while confirming the decision to recall Renshaw on the basis of his first-class record for Australia, Queensland and representative teams over the past 18 months was a close-run thing, Bailey claimed it does not diminish the relevance of performances in the Sheffield Shield competition.

He identified South Australia top-order batter (and Australia A captain) Nathan McSweeney as well as WA allrounder Aaron Hardie among others who had impressed selectors with their output and noted a number of hugely successful bowlers had also missed out on Test opportunities due to weight of competition.

"This is a line-ball decision, it's a moment in time of how we see it at the moment," he said.

"There will be opportunities going forward and there's no doubt part of cricket selection is being in the right place at the right time, and playing at or close to your best at the right time.

"In some ways it's no different to what Michael Neser and Mark Steketee, Joel Paris, Scott Boland have probably felt over the last 12-18 months.

"They're all putting fantastic numbers up and if you're working your way down a statistics list, all could mount a case that they deserve to be getting an opportunity to play Test cricket.

"But there's some guys ahead of them that are doing some pretty fantastic stuff and I think that needs to be celebrated as much as we can empathise that it's disappointing for some of those guys to miss out.

"Ultimately we are trying to pick our best six batters.

"At the moment, as it stands, we see Matthew Renshaw as the next-best."

Bailey was at pains to point out the decision to overlook Bancroft – leading run-scorer in the Shield competition last summer and the most prolific in the first half of the current campaign – had nothing to do with the 31-year-old's involvement in the 2018 Cape Town controversy.

"I can categorically say no, and I've shared this with Cameron on a number of occasions," Bailey said when asked if matters other than batting had been a factor in Bancroft being overlooked.

"It has never at any stage been discussed from the panel's perspective, it's purely a cricket decision.

"There's not a member of the team that would have an issue with Cam playing.

"We certainly don't have an issue with it, and I think a lot of people tend to forget the fact that Cam's actually played Test cricket since returning from the ban (during the 2019 Ashes series).

"I'd be disappointed if people were looking to that as a reason, and all I can do is reiterate that's not the case.

"It never has been and it never will be."

Bailey also said the panel's decision not to select allrounder Marcus Stoinis, a member of Australia's World Cup-winning squad last year, for the upcoming Dettol ODI Series against West Indies was not a reflection he was on the outer.

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), Travis Head (vc), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Adam Zampa.

Rather, the fact only 13 players were required for the three-match Dettol Series on home turf coupled with a desire to see how some of the next-generation white-ball aspirants perform ahead of next year's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan saw the likes of Stoinis and Ashton Agar squeezed out.

"Stoinis missed out but by no means is that a line through his name," Bailey said.

"We know what he can do at his best and how important he can be with bat and ball in one-day cricket."

NRMA Insurance Test series v West Indies

Tour match: January 10-13, Karen Rolton Oval (10.30am AEDT)

First Test: January 17-21, Adelaide Oval (10.30am AEDT)

Second Test: January 25-29, Gabba (3pm AEDT)

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua DaSilva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Zachary McCaskie

Men's Dettol ODI Series v West Indies

February 2: MCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 4: SCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 6: Manuka Oval, Canberra 2.30pm AEDT

Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies

February 9: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.00pm AEDT

February 11: Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT