IND v AUS 2020, 2nd ODI: 'I tried to whack the ball too hard in the IPL, but I've started hitting it with more finesse' - Steve Smith
Australia batsman Steve Smith revealed after the 2nd ODI against India that a change in mindset has led to him getting back to form.
Smith had a disappointing Indian Premier League campaign ahead of this series. He scored just 311 runs in 14 innings at an average of 25.91 and a strike rate of 131.22, and his team - the Rajasthan Royals - finished at the bottom of the points table for the first time in their history.
But the 31-year-old has been in sizzling form in the ongoing 3-match ODI series against India, as he has notched up consecutive 62-ball hundreds and Man of the Match awards.
"I tried to whack the ball too hard in the IPL but I've started hitting it with more finesse, which is working for me. Nice to score some runs again for the team and get us to a good total."
'I didn't give any chances today and felt good from ball one' - Steve Smith
Steve Smith said that he didn't give the Indian bowlers any chances today and that this was an improvement on the 1st ODI, in which he survived a couple of close calls. He praised fellow top-order batsmen David Warner and Aaron Finch for getting Australia off to another great start.
"I think last innings I probably could have been caught at long on, a close lbw. I didn't give any chances today and I just felt good from ball one. I was able to get myself in and go hard. Another great foundation set by Finchy and Davey."
"Let me go hard at the back end. The last two games, the boys have got us off to terrific starts. We know India have a good batting line-up so we needed big totals."
Steve Smith's 11th ODI hundred - 104 off 64 balls - helped Australia post a commanding 389/4.
The former Kangaroos captain not only registered his second hundred on the trot, but also equalled the record for the third-fastest ODI hundred scored by an Aussie that he set mere days ago.
In the field, Steve Smith took a spectacular catch to dismiss Shreyas Iyer and saved a couple of boundaries as well.