Michael Clarke believes star Australia batter can break 400 run record in Test cricket

Australia cleanly swept Pakistan in the three-match Test series. David Warner retired from the longest format of the game and got a hero's send-off in his final test. Steve Smith has dropped a comment about opening the innings in the red-ball format for Australia, as the team does not have a backup option for the opening slot after the left-hander retired. The management is still in confusion about whether to select Marcus Harris or Cameron Bancroft, in between Smith dropped his opinion to open the innings if required. 

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has backed the star cricketer, to not only become the best opener in the world if he takes David Warner's slot, but also break Brian Lara's record of 400. The highest score in the traditional format of the game is 400 by Lara and by an Australian is 380 which was scored by Mathew Hayden, against Zimbabwe and it has still not been broken. 

The 34-year-old, batter is the highest run scorer in the red-ball among the active cricketers for the Aussies. He has scored 9514  runs in the longest format while batting at No. 4 at an average of 61.51. He has 32 Test centuries, and the batter is fourth in the most run scorer for the Kangaroos and is just 486 runs, away from scoring 10,000 Test runs. 

He wants to open the batting: Michael Clarke

The former Australia captain said, "I'll tell you now about Steve Smith. If he wants to open the batting and they give him the chance, he will be the No. 1 Test opener within 12 months. He is that good a player. He is technically good enough, he lets the ball go well, he's got a great eye, he's got beautiful hands. Yes, he might nick the occasional one, he might get LBW but tell me someone who doesn't. He is that good a player, and maybe it is the challenge he is looking for."

"Smith doesn't want to wait. He doesn't want Warner or Khawaja to make a hundred, or Marnus to make a double hundred. He wants to make a double hundred. So if he open the batting, he will be the best opener within 12 months and the other thing, don't be surprised if he breaks Brian Lara's 400 record. Because he is that good and he's got the whole day."