Australia's Steve Smith ready to shine in WTC final

LONDON: Australia’s experienced batter Steve Smith expressed his determination to deliver a stellar performance against South Africa in the ICC World Test championship final on Sunday, while also sharing his hopes for his team's victory.

Smith spent the last few months in New York, away from the cricket field. The 36-year-old took a break from batting for three months, focusing instead on his fitness.

Speaking to reporters after a practice session, Smith reflected on his usual habit of practicing shadow batting at home but emphasised the benefits of taking a break, which has strengthened him physically.

“I’d normally have a bat lying around the house somewhere and just pick it up and do a bit of shadow batting and stuff,” Smith said. 

“But I made a conscious decision to try and just let it go for a while. It was good. I probably haven’t been as strong as I am now since 2014, and I feel like improved mobility in my hips could help me in the slips too.”

Australia's preparations for the West Indies series have now shifted to Lord's, and Smith’s confidence is high. The conditions in England have always suited his style, with his Test batting average in the country standing at 55.00. 

He scored a century in the 2023 World Test championship final against India and has an impressive average of 58.33 at Lord’s.

Smith shared his fondness for Lord’s, highlighting its rich history and unique playing conditions, where the slope presents a challenge to players.

“I think it’s probably, outside of Sydney, my favourite ground to play at. The history, the surface itself... It always takes a few balls just to get used to that slope. One end you feel like you're standing really tall, and the other end you feel like you're falling over a little bit. But the ball races away, both up the hill and down the hill,” Smith said.

Smith’s past struggles, including a long wait for a century after his Lord’s century in 2023, have been well-documented. Following a challenging period where he went 23 innings without a hundred, Smith found form again with four centuries in eight innings against India and Sri Lanka.

"I'm definitely not looking that far ahead. I’m kind of taking it day by day. As long as I’m enjoying it, batting well, and feeling like I’m contributing to the team, I’m happy,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that the ICC World Test championship final is set to take place on June 11, at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London between South Africa and defending champions Australia.

South Africa currently leads the WTC 2023-25 standings, having won eight out of 12 Tests.

After a 1-1 drawn home series against India and a 2-0 defeat in New Zealand, they rebounded with series victories over the West Indies (1-0), Bangladesh (2-0), Sri Lanka (2-0), and Pakistan (2-0).

On the other hand, Australia stands second on the table, with 13 wins and four losses from 19 Tests.

Their journey included a 2-0 win against Sri Lanka, a 3-1 triumph over India, a 2-0 series win against New Zealand, and a 1-1 draw with the West Indies.

They also whitewashed Pakistan 3-0, while the Ashes series against England ended in a 2-2 draw.

Australia squad for WTC final:

Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.