Australian coach Andrew McDoland has revealed that it was a collective decision by him and the captain Pat Cummins to move Steve Smith back at No. 4. He also added that, all-rounder Cameron Green's injury has changed the scenario of the lineup anf that forced them to make this decision.

Steve Smith
After the retirement of David Warner, Australia was void of a solid Test opener to fill up the shoes of Warner. Also Cameron Green's records at No. 4 for Western Australia were staggering as well. As a result, Australia shifted Smith to the opening position and promoted Green to No. 4. But Smith couldn’t get success while opening the innings, barring that knock of 91* against West Indies, he couldn’t surpass 50-mark barrier. In eight innings, Smith averaged 28.50 on the opening position.

Speaking on ABC Radio, Andrew McDoland discussed the decision on sending Smith back at No. 4:

"That falls to Patty [Cummins] and myself and around making that final decision. We just felt like as a collective, as in the leadership group, it was best for the team for him to make that shift away from opening. Clearly, we felt at the stage last year that it was the best for the team for him to open.

"It allowed us to get Cameron (Green) into that No. 4 slot. As time unfolds, you map out what the future looks like, and we've got different challenges this summer. That was a collective decision. Ultimately, that's one that Steve doesn't make."

Green looked to have sealed his No.4 spot ahead of the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series, when he scored a match-winning 174 in Wellington earlier this year. However, the all-rounder will miss the entire summer due to going under knives.

Andrew McDoland also hinted that 19-year-old teen batting prodigy Sam Konstas is on the radar as Aussie management are pondering him to open the innings for Australia in the India Test series.

"The work that Sam Konstas did in the first Shield game... has given him an opportunity within the Australia A set-up and to go about his business as well. We've got a bit of an eye to the future in some of the (Australia A) selections, and a bit of an eye to here and now. It's not a bat-off, but all things will be taken into consideration around the final decision that we make."