Twitter
Advertisement

#INDvAUS: An Indophile among the Australians

Visiting captain Smith has played two Test series against India and each time his career has taken a right turn post it. The next few weeks will show whether that trend would continue

Latest News
article-main
Australia captain Steve Smith returns to the Cricket Club of India dressing room after practice in Mumbai on Thursday
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

After a three-hour long gruelling training session on Wednesday afternoon, only a handful of Australian players turned up for their optional practice session on Thursday morning.

You'd think a guy like Steve Smith, the World No. 1 Test batsman coming into the four-match series against India with a bagful of runs last year, could afford to take a rare day off on an almost 50-day long unrelenting tour.

But up and running was the Australian captain on Thursday, batting with the same focus, intensity and sharpness in the nets as the day before.

And for good reason.

If there's one man in this Australian team who knows the sheer value of doing well in India more than anyone else, it's Smith.

In 2010, a baby-faced 21-year-old – with his straight-out-of-the-bed messy hair – was drafted into the Australian team against Pakistan at the Lord's.

Australia were desperately seeking a leg-spinner, and they identified Smith for it as someone who could also bat at No. 8.

For Smith, who always looked at himself predominantly as a batsman who could bowl a bit, it was a rather unexpected role to play, akin asking a method actor to do slapstick comedy.

Yet Smith did play the role, and decently at that for five Tests, picking up three wickets and scoring a couple of half-centuries. But decent wasn't going to be anywhere near enough, and he was axed after those five outings in 2011.

The end. Not quite.

Cut to 2013. Enter 'Homeworkgate'. Enter Smith.

This time, staring at a 0-2 deficit in the four-match Test series against India in India, Australia were desperately seeking some back-up players after axing four of their main ones after the second Test. It gave Smith another chance, albeit to play another role: bat in the middle-order.

Walking out at No. 5 in his comeback game in Mohali, Smith was the highest-scorer from the out-of-sorts visiting batting line-up, notching up a patient 92. Australia lost that match and the series, but won a player for the future.

That one knock in typically Indian challenging conditions gave Smith the belief that he was made for international cricket.

"I think I did start too early, but it probably held me in good stead for when I got another opportunity," Smith told DNA in an interview in 2015. "After that stint against England at home in the 2011 Ashes (after which he was dropped), I was able to go back to the first-class system and learn my game a little bit more, work on my defence, work on my mindset, know that I can leave a lot of balls particularly in Test cricket and just build an innings. So that's one big thing that I learnt."

Learnt, and how. Since that series against India, Smith has averaged more than 70 with the bat in the next three years: 81.86 in 2014, 73.70 in 2015, 71.93 in 2016.

Australia have won games and lost games in that period, but Smith has rarely tasted failure with his willow for a prolonged period. He hasn't let his unusual technique – shuffling a good couple of steps across the stumps – come in the way of success with the bat. In fact, it has only helped him accumulate more runs.

And in between this fine run with the bat, Smith was asked to play another role in 2014.

This time, Australia were desperately seeking a captain after an injury to Michael Clarke after the first of the four-match Test series against India at home. Brad Haddin was too old, and so the selectors turned to Smith for the next three Tests, a long-term option.

Would the burden of captaincy be too much for a 24-year-old? Quite the opposite. Smith cracked three centuries in the three Tests as skipper against India and won them the series. Soon, he took over as Australia's full time captain.

Cut to 2017. Enter India again. Enter Smith.

This time, Australia are desperately seeking a batsman who can withstand the storm called the Indian Spin Attack, a leader who can inspire his troops to do the improbable of beating India in India.

It's just one of the various roles that Smith has had to play over the years, in a country and against an opposition which has played a big part in shaping him up for all those roles.

"I guess the last four years since I've been here, it has been a pretty good run as a batter. I've had some success over the last four years. Hopefully, it can continue on this tour," Smith said here on Monday.

Safe to say, the latest role suits him well.

SMITH SINCE 2013 SERIES IN INDIA

Year Mat Runs Avg HS 100/50
2014 9 1146 81.86 192 5/4
2015 13 1474 73.70 215 6/5
2016 11 1079 71.93 165* 4/5

SMITH IN NUMBERS

Tests: 50
Runs: 4752
Avg: 60.15
HS: 215
100/50: 17/20

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement