It’s almost time for one of the biggest cricket series of the year so far as India and Australia prepare to go head-to-head in a four match Test series starting on February 9. The series will not only see India hope to retain the Border Gavaskar series but also confirm a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Australia’s hopes will be dependent on Smith, as the star batter will look to replicate his 2017 heroics and deal with the threat of the Indian spinners. To the surprise of many, Australia will not play any practice games in India, and the Australian vice-captain has justified the decision by calling them “irreverent” and claiming to have learned his lesson from the last tour.
“We normally have two tour games over in England. This time we don’t have a tour game in India. The last time we went I’m pretty sure we got served up a green top (to practise on) and it was sort of irrelevant. Hopefully, we get really good training facilities where the ball is likely to do what it’s likely to do out in the middle, and we can get our practice in,” Smith told the Daily Telegraph.
“We’ll wait and see when we hit the ground. I think we’ve made the right decision to not play a tour match. Like I said, last time they dished up a green top for us and we barely faced any spin, so it’s kind of irrelevant. We’re better off having our own nets and getting spinners in and bowling as much as they can,” he added.
Smith went on to reveal his desire to win a Test series in India while pointing out that, despite having played two series in the country, he has never won a series here. “It’s certainly huge. I don’t know if it’s (winning in India) the final frontier. I’ve never won there, I’ve been there twice (for Tests), it’s always difficult playing there. India and England – our two opponents over the next six months – are probably our biggest as an Australian Test cricketer. We’ve got some challenges in front of us, but the guys are ready for it,” Smith explained.
During Australia’s 2017 tour of India, Smith was the top-scorer with a total of 499 runs in 4 games at an average of 71.28 and three tons to his name. His century on a torrid pitch in Pune is one of the greatest Test knocks played on Indian soil.
