New Delhi: Australia’s premier batter Steve Smith is mentally preparing himself for a proactive approach to quell the challenge he will be facing against Ravichandran Ashwin in the Border-Gavaskar series.
Smith’s battle against Ashwin will be one of the highlights of the five Test series that begins in Perth on November 22.
Smith is 315 runs away from completing 10,000 runs in red-ball cricket and will return to his preferred No.4 spot after fetching mixed results as opener for four Tests earlier this year.
Ashwin had dismissed Smith three times in the 2020-21 series in Australia, which India went on to win. In the 2023 series in India, the off-spinner had dismissed the right hander two times.
Smith is aware that he needs to be on top of his game to tackle the might of Ashwin, whose record in Australia is ordinary, averaging 42.15 per wicket as against his home average of 21.57.
“I don’t like getting out to off-spin in Australia. But he’s also a very good bowler and he came in with some decent plans. There were a couple of occasions where he got on top of me,” Smith told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“But then I got on top of him at the SCG when I was a bit more proactive (Smith made 131 and 81 at Sydney). So, that’s key for me. Just be proactive against him and not let him settle and bowl the way he wants to.”
Ashwin recently indulged in mind games, claiming to have worked out his way to dismiss Smith, though the Aussie didn’t want to read too much into it.
“I think I’ve kind of figured out what he does or how he bats, I’ve had an edge over him. I’ve had the wood over him,” Ashwin claimed on Channel Seven.
“Ashwin and I have had some good battles over the years. When you have five matches, if someone gets on top of another player, they could have 10 innings against them.
“So, you’re facing those mental challenges each game, and if it goes one way early, they will feel under pressure against that player. There’s nowhere to hide in five games like there are in a two-game series,” Smith said.
Smith averages over 60 as a No.4 batter and is keen to get into rhythm from the very beginning in the much-anticipated series.
“It always makes your summer better when you start well. It gives you a lot of confidence. It’s about not overthinking things. It’s playing each ball as it comes and keeping it simple.
“When I’m playing my best, I’m not overthinking and I’m just playing what’s in front of me. It’s going to be a good battle,” he said.
Smith’s battle against Ashwin will be one of the highlights of India’s five Test series against Australia that begins in Perth on November 22. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
