Jamie Smith Jamie Smith

England captain Jos Buttler has backed Jamie Smith to thrive after it was announced the wicket-keeper would bat at number three in England's Champions Trophy opener against Australia on Saturday. (More Cricket News)mwplay888

Smith has grabbed the gloves from opener Phil Salt and been carded at first drop in England's line-up, despite never having batted there in any of his 18 international appearances.

He has impressed at Test match level since coming into the side last summer but has yet to shine in the 50-over format. His highest score in the format came against Australia at Headingley last September, hitting 49 in a 68-run defeat.

"We just feel it’s a nice position to give him a free hit to try and really impact the game in that top three," Buttler said of Smith, who missed the 3-0 ODI series defeat to India last week due to a calf injury.

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"Jamie is an incredible talent who has taken to international cricket so well. You can place him in that position to try and have a really big impact with a number of guys behind him.

"He’s obviously got the game technically and tactically, the head on his shoulders is one of his biggest strengths. I think you could ask him to bat anywhere in the line-up, and it wouldn’t faze him."

We've named our XI for the first game against Australia 

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) February 20,Peso63 2025

England have named their entire XI for Saturday's clash, with Liam Livingstone down at number seven in a long batting line-up.

Buttler said: "That top three can be really aggressive and impose themselves and try and play a match-defining innings, with the blanket of [Joe] Root, [Harry] Brook and myself and Livi [Liam Livingstone] behind.

"We back the guys we've picked. It's a really exciting line-up."

Jofra Archermwplay888, Mark Wood and Brydon Carse are England's pace options, while Livingstone and Root will bowl spin alongside frontline option Adil Rashid.