Australian cricketer Steve Smith is anything but certain to open the batting in the Test side this summer, declaring he would be willing to return to the middle order if national selectors preferred him at No.4.

The 35-year-old moved to the top of the order following David Warner’s retirement in January, opening the batting in four Tests against the West Indies and New Zealand.

Smith cracked an unbeaten 91 during the day-night Test at the Gabba but otherwise failed to silence his doubters, compiling 171 runs in eight innings at 28.50. The talented right-hander, impenetrable off his pads a few years ago, was trapped LBW on three occasions, twice beaten on the inside edge and once following an ill-judged leave.

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Earlier this year, national selector George Bailey conceded it was unlikely Australia’s top six would change ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign against India, which gets underway in November, but Smith has opened the door for a return to the middle order.

The New South Welshman, who enthusiastically pushed his case to replace Warner at the top of the order last summer, is unsure what spot he’ll occupy against India, leaving his fate in the hands of the national selectors.

“I’m comfortable batting wherever,” Smith told Fox Cricket.

“We’ll see what that looks like, I suppose, whether they want me to continue (opening the batting) or go back to three or four. We’ll wait and see.

“I’m pretty easy batting anywhere. We’ll just see what stacks up and what the brain trust wants.

“I like to stand up in the big series and do well and help the team. Hopefully there’s much of the same this summer.”

Smith confessed the ten-minute turnaround between innings was the only part of opening the batting that took him a while to adjust to.

“It’s a little bit of a quicker turnaround when you only have ten minutes, running off the field and you have to get back out there quickly,” Smith explained.

“Outside of that, I don’t think there’s much change.”

Meanwhile, Australian opener Usman Khawaja admitted he prefers Smith batting at second drop because of his prior success in the middle order — he averages 61.50 in 111 Test innings at No. 4, including 19 centuries.

“I’m not sure what the top six is going to be this summer,” Khawaja told Fox Cricket.

“I’ve always loved Steve Smith batting at No. 4, I haven’t shied away from that.

“I know Steve Smith can score runs at one, two, three, four, five or six, but the man averages 60 at four, so my preference has always been Smudge at four.

“I love seeing him come in at No. 4 … you get two wickets, and who do you get walking in? The best batsman in the world.

“When you put him up to open, I feel like you’re kind of giving them a chance to get at him early.”

Steve Smith’s Test batting average by position

Opening — 28.50

No. 3 — 67.07

No. 4 — 61.50

No. 5 — 57.18

No. 6 and lower — 28.73

Smith hopes to play a couple of Sheffield Shield matches for New South Wales before the Test series opener against India at Perth Stadium, which starts on November 22.

The first-class matches could give Smith a chance to face the swinging Kookaburra before the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but he hasn’t discussed with Blues staff what role he’ll occupy in the Sheffield Shield side yet.

“I’ll bat wherever they want me to. I’m not that fussed,” Smith continued.

“They’ve got some good young kids there. Sam Konstas is coming through, who’s done really well, while Nic Maddinson has come up to New South Wales as well.

“I’m pretty easy, whatever spot they want me to bat.”