Australian skipper Steven Smith has played 49 Test so far with the exceptional Test batting average of 60.63 and he would like to continue his blazing form in the 50th Test against Pakistan on Tuesday in Sydney. Smith has hit two centuries against Pakistan in the series Down Under.
“It’s been a good couple of years, I’ve enjoyed every moment of it and playing my 50th Test now – it’s an exciting time and hopefully I can have some success this week. I was fortunate to play when I was quite young, obviously as a spinner when I debuted in England,” Smith said on the eve of his 50th Test match.
Ushering the new-look national side, Smith, who somehow felt the burden of captaincy, as a batsman has grown leaps and bounds when his team is struggling.
The 27-year-old honed his technique while mastering the longer format. He averages more than 50 against rest of the opponents except Sri Lanka (41.16) and England (43.19).
While reflecting on his career, Smith has scored a hundred against every Test playing country he has played.
“There is that sort of healthy competitive nature there,” Smith remarked.
Lauded as one of the best in the world, in 11 Test matches, Smith didn’t reach triple figure mark which shows how he has accelerated his career there on.
Before returning in 2013 to hit his first Test century in Ashes at the Oval, Smith second coming in Tests has been incredible and nobody was stopping him for achieving the milestones.
“I’ve always seen myself as more of a batsman and that’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, to put that [bowling] on the backburner and just concentrate on my batting,” Smith said.
In 2010, Smith has emerged as the leg-spinner for national side while batting at No. 8. After playing 5 Test, Smith was booted out after 2010-11 Ashes.
Interestingly, Smith has played his maiden Test in 2010 against Pakistan. In the two match, MCC Spirit of Cricket Test series the right-handed batsman scored 10 and 12.
“Probably walking about a foot across my stumps. I used to bat on middle stump and not have any prelim movements. That was actually something I started in the 2013 Ashes out in the middle of the WACA. They were bowling quite short at me out there and I started a prelim movement, it was like everything sort of just clicked into place,” Smith added.
After being picked as the bowler, Smith has scored 4,669 runs from 90 innings and is expected to become third Aussie after Don Bradman and Matthew Hayden to reach 5,000-run mark while taking less than 100 innings as he sits third in batting average after Herbert Sutcliffe and Bradman for batsmen who have scored at least 4000 Test runs.
“I just love batting and love batting for long periods of time. You don’t get to do that in T20 cricket, so I love playing Test cricket. I always wanted to play Test cricket,” Smith said. “That was the pinnacle for me and I just love batting, and love batting for long periods of time. You don’t get to do that in T20 cricket, so I love playing Test cricket,” Smith concluded.
However, Smith has not turned into a good captain so far, but he has been incredible with the bat and led his side from the front. And he has a lengthy career ahead of him to turn around his captaincy performance.