Australia head into the three-Test series starting tomorrow (July 26) in Kandy as hot favourites despite a disappointing record in the subcontinent, where they have won just one Test from the past 15 since 2008.
Fortunately for Australia, their only win was in Galle five years ago during a 1-0 series victory in then captain Michael Clarke's first Test series as skipper. Smith will be captaining his first Test series in the subcontinent, a challenge he was excited about.
"We haven't performed all that well in subcontinental conditions over recent years... and that's something we're very keen to turn around," Smith wrote in his column for cricket.com.au on Monday (July 25). "With the acclimatising and training that we've done, the guys are pretty much ready to play. We just have to fine-tune a few things to make sure we're fresh and ready for the first Test.
"I know it will be a real challenge, but I think we're ready to go," he added.
Smith believed Australia are well prepared to combat the conditions of the subcontinent having learned vital lessons from previous tours. "As captain leading my first Test tour in subcontinental conditions, I'm hopeful that we can learn a lot from the way that we've played on these sorts of pitches previously and change the things that haven't worked for us," he said. "I've got a few different ideas of how to approach things as captain, and they revolve around the different way the components of the game get broken up in conditions like Sri Lanka, India and the UAE.
"For example, the ball can swing quite a lot when it's new but once the shine is off and it stops moving then that's probably one of the best times to bat, while the ball is still hard," he added.
The 27-year-old believed his captaincy would be tested. "The challenge is in finding the right mix of strategies, and the right times to be attacking and then to pull back and be defensive," he said. "For me, as captain, it's really important to recognise instinctively when those moments arrive, to be really adaptable to make sure we seize them when they come and don't allow the game to drift."
Australia's emerging talent from its National Performance Squad (NPS) were in Colombo during the past week training with the Test squad. Smith believed some future stars could emerge from that group.
"I was impressed with quite a few of the young spinners, and Queensland leggie Mitchell Swepson caught my eye in the sessions where I saw him bowl," he said. "He puts a lot of revs on the ball and he was pretty accurate as well. He's obviously still very young but if he continues to develop as quickly as he has already, then I think he's got a bright future.
"From the perspective of the NPS guys, I think it was a great chance for them to see how we prepare as an Australian Test team and to get a picture of the expectations that come when we're entering a major series overseas," he added.
The skipper also mentioned that Nathan Lyon will be partnered by Steve O'Keefe for Monday's series opener. Smith, who announced the eleven a day ahead of the first Test in Pallekele, said that he is looking forward to a fruitful partnership between the spin twins.
"Both our spinners bowled well in the practice game. They have played lot of games for New South Wales and they are close friends. It's going to be exciting," Smith said.
In a bowling line-up that has Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as the front-line pacers, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is the third seam option available at Australia's disposal. Shaun Marsh, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Moises Henriques and Jackson Bird were the ones to miss out from the eleven.
Australia XI: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Joe Burns, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), Steve O'Keeffe, Mitchell Starc, Adam Voges
No comments:
Post a Comment