IND vs AUS 2017: Steven Smith Urges for a Improved Show after Leaving India
Oct 9, 2017 at 12:16 PM
Ahead of the first T20I in Ranchi, Australia dealt a major blow, as skipper Steven Smith got ruled out of the T20I series with a shoulder injury.
Though Smith was witnessed sitting in the dugout during the first game, it seemed evident that his loss had created an irreplaceable vacuum in the team. With the weather taking its toll on the game, all India needed was a target of 48 in six overs to win the game. The hosts got there quite comfortably with three balls to spare, as skipper Virat Kohli finished the game off with a stunning boundary over cover.
As the teams head to Guwahati for the second game of the T20I series, India will look to seal the series right there. Smith too has left for Australia, and before going, he put up a motivating message for his side and mentioning how unfortunate he felt to miss the T20I series. In his post, Smith urged the team to strike form in the remaining two games.
“India it’s been an absolute pleasure. The One Day tour didn’t go to plan, and after injuring my shoulder in the last game, I’m unfortunately heading home to give it some rest and rehab. I look forward to watching the boys turn the tides in the next 2 T20s,” wrote Smith on his Facebook page.
Having been thrashed 4-1 in the five-match ODI series, Smith needs to go back to the drawing board at the earliest, as his team looks utterly disoriented ahead of the all-important home Ashes later in November.