Dubai: The last year-and-a-half has seen Steve Smith emerge as the golden boy of Australian cricket.
From being a busy player who could shore up the middle order, the New South Wales player has become one of the mainstays of their batting in both formats of the game — apart from being labelled as the future skipper once Michael Clarke walks into the sunset.
A few statistics are tell-tale about the form Smith has been in recent times — while he scored four centuries in the four-Test series against India with a staggering aggregate of 769 runs, Smith compiled 402 runs in the co-hosts’ campaign to regain the World Cup in February-March. The 25-year-old was very much the pivotal figure on whom the Australians’ often suspect batting line-up rotated on in the World Cup and pressure situations seemed to bring out the best in him.
A conversation with him, however, belies the boyish looks — the words are well measured and it’s very clear that he has his feet firmly on the ground. There’s no doubt that he has already done enough to establish himself as one of the contenders for the ICC Cricketer of the Year award, but he feels it’s only a job ‘well begun’.
“The plan is now to sustain the form and contribute to the success of Australian cricket for as along as I am playing,” he said in an exclusive interview with Gulf News from India, where is playing for Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
Following are the excerpts:
The gap of one year between last IPL and the ongoing one has seen you make rapid growth as a player. How do you look back at the success?
Look, I have had a good 12 to 18 months that I have really enjoyed playing for Australia and having some success. Now, it’s time to work and sustain the form and contribute to success of Australia.
What role does the team management want you to assume as a batsman for Rajasthan Royals in this IPL?
My job is to control the middle overs, I guess. We have got a solid opening pair in (Shane) Watson and (Ajinkya) Rahane at the top of the order while there are some power-hitters at the back-end. I look to make sure that the middle orders are stable even if we lose some quick wickets and bat through till the end.
The Royals team this year has three members of the World Cup-winning squad. Do you think the Australian quotient is a key reason behind the good chemistry of the team?
It’s not that really … one of the things that we are big about in this franchise is that we want to produce young Indian players. There is enough evidence with the emergence of likes of a Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson. It’s great to watch them progress and they can pick the brains of the international players for any possible help.
How beneficial is it to have somebody like Rahul Dravid in a mentor’s role?
Rahul has been an exceptional player in all formats. He’s highly respected and brings a lot to the table. Overseas players like to feed off him and it’s a great privilege to have him around.
You are an old IPL hand now, having been through with Pune Warriors, Royal Challengers Bangalore and now Royals. How would you like to compare this event with the Big Bash, where you first stole the limelight?
The IPL is a terrific tournament where most top players of the world come now and get a chance to play in sub-continental conditions. It’s a great learning experience and we look forward to this time of the year.
Comparing it with Big Bash, the difference lies in a few areas — in Big Bash you can have two overseas players while it’s four here. Conditions and size of the grounds in Australia are also different, though the quality of competition is pretty much the same.
The 2015 Ashes series starts in two months’ time. What’s your prediction for the same?
It’s always tough to play England in their backyard. I am looking forward to it as it’s one of the greatest rivalries in the game ... can’t wait to get involved in the thick of action.
