Steve Smith predicted his big knock vs India several days ago, here is the proof

In the build-up to the India vs Australia ODI series, the Australian cricket team were facing certain issues. The likes of Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Glenn Maxwell all had underwhelming IPL 2020 campaigns for their respective franchises. Steve Smith captained Rajasthan Royals and they finished at the bottom of the IPL 2020 points table. Glenn Maxwell had not hit a single six while Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins struggled for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively. However, in the first ODI against the Indian cricket team in Sydney, the tables turned.

Finch hit his 17^th century and fourth against India. Steve Smith hit a 62-ball ton which is the third-fastest by an Australian in ODIs while Glenn Maxwell hit four sixes in his 19-ball 45. In fact, Steve Smith had predicted that he would score big at the Sydney Cricket Ground despite a poor IPL.

How was Steve Smith so confident? Three days ago, before the Sydney ODI, ‘something clicked’ for Steve Smith. The method and technique that Steve Smith employs in his batting is complicated. The shuffle, the high baseball-like batting stance and his unorthodox strokeplay make for enthralling viewing. Yet, there are some basics which Steve Smith deemed missing ahead of the India ODI and that had plagued him in IPL 2020.

‘Found his hands’

In a report on ESPNCricinfo, Steve Smith revealed he had found his hands while batting and how a combination of the right technique and right mindset allowed him to blast the third-fastest ODI century by an Australian when he smashed a ton off just 62 balls on Friday. The ESPNCricinfo report stated that three days ago, while training, Steve Smith came up to assistant coach Andrew McDonald and said, “He had found it.”

The found it is probably the right technique that has yielded Smith plenty of success. In addition to the amount of training that Steve Smith did in Sydney, it also gave him time to reflect on what he needed to do. “There are those players around the world who can hit sixes at will. I'm probably not one of those. For me it's about hitting proper cricket shots and hitting the gaps and manipulating the field as much as I can. I probably went away from that a bit throughout the IPL. I know that's the best way that I play. So, keeping my thoughts clear and hitting the ball in my areas where I want to hit them. I still think there's a need for a player like that in the short form of the game,” Smith said.

That clarity of thought was evident in his exhibition in Sydney. Steve Smith danced down the track to counter the spinners and he also picked the length up quickly. The result - a passage of play that saw Steve Smith hit six boundaries in 10 balls. The power-hitting also came with the confidence.

Steve Smith pounced on the Indian bowlers mistakes of bowling too full and short as he peppered wide long on and deep extra cover with sixes to notch up his 10^th ODI century and fourth against India. In 22 balls, he had scored 43 runs in the death overs. Consider this, he has 11 centuries now against India in all formats combined, only three behind Virat Kohli. At the other end, Aaron Finch also smashed a century and Glenn Maxwell’s blitz helped Australia register their highest ODI total against India. This prompted a flood of memes from Indian fans on social media as to where was the intent for the franchises in IPL 2020. It seems national performance is far more important for Australian cricketers than IPL.

Steve Smith has found his rhythm, according to him. When he found it the last time after a period of struggle in 2016, he punished England with four centuries in the 2017/18 Ashes to end up with over 700 runs. India should be scared, very scared indeed.