He is a beautiful No. 4 batter: Usman Khawaja cautions against promoting Steve Smith as opener

With David Warner retiring from Tests, following Australia's home Test series versus Pakistan, the opener's slot is up for grabs. Pat Cummins & Co. have not decided on the spot but there isn't a significant gap for their next red-ballassignment, i.e. a two-match series versus West Indies Down Underfrom Jan 17. Ahead of Warner's farewell Test, there was a lot of talk in the Australian cricket fraternity regarding who can take over from him. Many names have cropped up, such as Cameron Green, Cameron Bancroft, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Harris, Matt Renshaw, etc.

During the final Test versus Pakistan, at the SCG, Sydney,Steve Smith also expressed his interest in being promoted as an opener. While Cummins, after the end of the series, didn't react very keenly to Smith's offer, now Usman Khawaja has also opened up on whether Smith should move up the order.

'Can't sacrifice someone who is the second-greatest ever Test batsman at No. 4'

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Khawaja was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au, "I say it's a specialist position in brackets, but anyone who can bat in the top four can open.I just wouldn't want to sacrifice someone who is in my opinion the second-greatest ever Test batsman off the position that he's been batting in for so long. The beauty of Steve Smith is he's a beautiful No. 4 batsman. He can bat against pace. He's really good against spin."

Recently, former Aussie opener Matthew Hayden also reacted to the prospect of Smith becoming an opener. Speaking toSydney MorningHerald, the veteran said, “It’s just not going to happen in my opinion. He’s commanded so much respect in the game that we should all listen to what he has to say, but I equally think that’s not the way the Australian cricket team management will go. It certainly doesn’t sound like the way Pat will go."

Hayden, a veteran of 103 Tests, further added, “I just can’t see how strategically that [Smith opening] is going to work for Cricket Australia. They will need someone more concrete than that. When you look at the success over the last two years of this Test team, it’s been based on a very solid foundation. It’s been such a key structure – that number one to four set in stone has been gold for Cricket Australia."

Smith has9,514 runs in 105 Tests, at an average of58.01 with 32 tons and 40 fifties. At No. 4, he averages61.50 with 19 hundreds and 26 half-centuries with a total of 5,966 runs. He has never opened the innings in the purest format of the game.