"He is one of those players who thrives on the extra workload" - Ravi Shastri on Steve Smith as captain
Former Team India coach Ravi Shastri trusts Steve Smith to do a better job as the Australian captain in the third Test in Indore, starting on March 1. Shastri reckons that the extra bit of workload brings the best out of the seasoned Test batter.
With Pat Cummins ruled out of the third Test to attend to his mother, who is in palliative care, Cricket Australia has announced Smith as captain. It is the third time that the 33-year-old has filled in as captain since Cummins became the full-time Test skipper.
In his column for The Age, Shastri claimed that Smith is an automatic choice as Cummins' replacement for the captaincy, prompting him to elevate his game.
"Australia do have a readymade replacement at the top in Steve Smith. And I think that will work for them. The responsibility of captaincy seems to bring that different kind of mindset. His concentration levels seem far higher, and you just have to look at his batting average as captain. It is outstanding. He is one of those players who thrives on the extra workload of leading the side."
Considering his experience of playing in India, the former spinner expects Smith to understand the tempo of cricket better than Cummins.
"There’s also the added element of how Smith will lead Australia here. He’s got a great understanding of Indian conditions, having led here before and also all the years he’s spent playing and captaining in the IPL. He understands the tempo of cricket in India better than what Cummins would have."
The New South Wales batter was Australia's full-time captain between 2014-2018. He came close to achieving a Test series win in India six years ago but the hosts won the four-match series 2-1. He also boasts a batting average of 67.73 in 36 Tests as captain.
"That is key in Indore" - Ravi Shastri on Australia's batting depth in Indore
Shastri reckons that Cameron Green's return to Australia's squad should enable the visitors to put on a much better batting performance. He wrote:
"With Cameron Green coming back, Australia have six proper batters and even if two of them come off, they could score close to 300 and more in their first innings. That is key in Indore."
Australia are likely to include Green and Starc in their XI in Indore, with the pair missing the first two Tests due to finger injuries.