Steve Smith ready to hit the ground running in Indian Test series
Star Australian batter Steve Smith says he is confident he can carry his outstanding recent form into the upcoming four-Test series against India.
Key points:
- Australia faces India in the first Test beginning on Thursday
- Smith was brilliant for the Sydney Sixers in his BBL appearances
- He averaged over 70 on Australia’s last Test tour of India in 2017
Smith touched down in India with his Australian teammates earlier this week following a spectacular — but brief — BBL campaign with the Sydney Sixers.
Across five innings, he scored 346 runs at an average of 86.50 and strike rate of 174.74.
This followed a successful Test series against South Africa, with Smith — who was crowned Allan Border medallist for the fourth time last Monday — averaging 57.75 with the bat.
Smith can also gain confidence from Australia’s most recent Test series in India, back in 2017.
As captain, Smith scored 499 runs —a tally including three centuries — at an average of 71.28 in Australia’s 2-1 series loss.
Smith said his outstanding form in India — as well as his BBL efforts — meant he was entering the series against India in a positive frame of mind.
“I’ll be looking at those kinds of things and try to take confidence out of those and implement all that stuff into my training before we play,” he told ABC Sport.
“Hopefully I’ll develop a nice game plan to go out and play.”
Smith said adapting to the Indian wickets would be crucial if he was to repeat his heroics of six years ago.
“For me, it’s just playing the surface in front of me, knowing that I’ve been here before and I’ve done it and done well,” he said.
“I can take a lot of confidence out of that.”
Australia has not won a Test series in India since 2004.
Smith was bullish about Australia’s chance this time around, although he believed the squad would give a solid account of itself.
“I think we’ve got the tools in the kit bag to make sure we have a successful one (series) and now it’s just about going out and implementing it in the middle, and playing what’s front of us,” he said.
“Hopefully we can do it better than the opposition and have a really good tour.”
The first Test begins in Nagur on Thursday.
The remaining Tests will be played in Delhi, Dharamsala and Ahmedabad.
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