Insisting that the selection panel led by George Bailey has given Steve Smith a chance to take T20 opening batting form into international cricket, former Australia Test captain Tim Paine responded to Michael Clarke’s comments on the right-hander (Smith) earmarked to play as an opener in T20Is against South Africa.

Smith will be opening the batting for Australia in the T20I series in South Africa, a role he will be taking for the first time. He had made just one appearance in the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup and scored just one fifty in his last 23 T20I innings.