"Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position" - Chief selector George Bailey confirms Smith's return to the No. 4 spot

Australia's selection chairman George Bailey ended months of speculation and intense debate after confirming that Steve Smith will be restored to his traditional No. 4 position for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The ace batter had a short-lived stint as an opener following David Warner's retirement in early 2024.

Smith had a fairly forgettable run at the top of the order across two series. Barring a fifty against West Indies at The Gabba, he could not find much success, ending up with an average of 28.50 after eight innings. Several former players had urged the management to rethink Smith's batting position.

Cameron Green had batted at No. 4 in the shuffled batting order. However, he is set to be out for six months after opting for surgery to treat his back injury.

"Pat, Andrew and Steve Smith had been having ongoing conversations, separate to the untimely injury to Cameron (Green). Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position, and Pat and Andrew have confirmed that he will be dropping back down the order for the summer," George Bailey told reporters.

Smith boasts an average of 61.51 while batting at No. 4. He has been the backbone of the Australian batting unit for close to a decade and will have a key role to play against a potent Indian bowling unit.

Australia in search of a bonafide opener after Smith returns to No. 4

A select few have even backed Travis Head to open the innings for Australia in Tests. The left-handed batter has flourished in the middle order, playing a crucial role with his ability to counter-attack. He has opened the innings in the past in Warner's absence during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The conventional route for Australia would be to call up an opening batter from the domestic circuit rather than going down the makeshift route again. The likes of Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris, and Matt Renshaw have been long-term performers with international experience as well.

Member of Australia's 2024 U-19 World Cup winning squad, Sam Konstas, has also emerged as a late contender following his recent heroics in the Sheffield Shield.