Former Australian star shares who should take Steve Smith’s No. 4 spot

Former Australian cricketer and current Victoria coach Chris Rogers has backed Peter Handscomb as the ideal choice to step into the No. 4 Test batting role when senior player Steve Smith calls time on his career.

Former Australian cricketer and current Victoria coach Chris Rogers has thrown his support behind Peter Handscomb as the ideal successor for the No. 4 spot in Test cricket once veteran Steve Smith decides to retire. In a conversation with Fox Cricket’s Domesticated, Rogers said that when Smith eventually steps away, selectors won’t need to search beyond Handscomb for a solid replacement. “If he got another opportunity, I believe he’d be far better equipped this time,” Rogers said about Handscomb. “If Smith were to retire and Australia needed a reliable No. 4 in Tests, Pete could definitely fill that role. Hopefully he keeps scoring runs for us, and things fall into place for him to earn another shot at Test cricket,” he added.

Rogers further remarked that the experienced Victorian batter is worthy of another stint at the international level, stressing that Handscomb is a significantly improved player compared to eight years ago.

“He doesn’t receive the recognition he truly deserves. People still think he’s the same player he was during his earlier Test stint, but I’ve witnessed how much he’s evolved. He realised that his old approach at Test level wasn’t sustainable, and though it took time to let go of that mindset, he has since embraced new methods.

“If you rewatch the century he scored against Starc and Hazlewood, you’ll see how different his technique is. He was getting forward more, punching into the ball, not just sitting back deep in the crease. That kind of game plan would translate really well to international cricket,” Rogers noted.

Handscomb, who featured in 20 Tests for Australia between 2016 and 2023, is currently the second-highest run-getter in the Sheffield Shield with 350 runs at an average of 43.75. He has been appointed captain for the two-day pink-ball fixture in Canberra beginning November 29, which serves as crucial preparation under lights ahead of the day-night Test at the Gabba.

Just last week, Handscomb notched a century against a bowling unit featuring Test stalwarts Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon during Victoria’s 300-run win over NSW at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The 34-year-old, who debuted against South Africa in 2016 and scored two hundreds in his first four Tests, last represented Australia during the 2023 tour of India. He was tipped to be part of the recent Sri Lanka Test squad but ultimately missed out on selection.