Steven Smith flew back from a short break in New York last week, walked straight into the nets at Cricket Central – and was soon telling anyone who asked that two hits are all he needs. “Honestly, it takes me two hits to get sorted,” he said on Tuesday. “I feel like I’m ready to go now. I feel like I’m moving really nicely. I feel in a good place.”
Smith’s quick tune-up matters because Australia may need him to lead the side in Brisbane if Pat Cummins’ back fails to settle in time for the series opener. Cummins has not yet bowled since feeling discomfort late last month, and Smith confirmed that the clock is ticking. “Things can turn around pretty quickly so we’ll see where everything lands with him,” he noted. “He’s obviously got a few things to tick off and get into his bowling, but he was in good spirits and the team’s obviously better with him in it for sure. Hopefully he can get right and if he plays three Tests or five Tests or two Tests, as many as we can get out of him, it’s the best for the team.”
Before any Ashes talk becomes reality, Smith will use two Sheffield Shield fixtures – Queensland at the Gabba and Victoria at the SCG – to top up time in the middle. That preparation feels sufficient to him; the 34-year-old has become increasingly comfortable stepping away from cricket between major series. Unlike earlier in the year, when he sought out a baseball cage to keep his hands moving while nursing a finger injury, he left the bat in the case throughout his New York holiday.
Off the field he has been pushing weights. “I’ve been training quite hard,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of lifting, trying to get a bit stronger. And I did all my strength tests yesterday and they’re all as good as they’ve ever been.”
If Cummins is forced to the sidelines, the leadership handover should be straightforward. Smith has filled in six times since Cummins became captain, winning five. The vice-captain enjoys a trusted partnership with the fast bowler and, when required, slips seamlessly into the top job. “It’s nothing out of the ordinary,” Smith explained. “I know how the team operates. We’re in a good place. So if it happens, I’ll look forward to it. I think the important thing is doing it my way. I think when I get out on the field, I’ve got a certain style and the way I like to do things and I need to be authentic.”
That approach has produced results on turning pitches in Pakistan and India; it will now be tested against Ben Stokes’ England. The prospect of two aggressive thinkers matching wits has neutrals intrigued, though Smith prefers not to indulge in a tactical build-up. He is more concerned with his own side’s processes and with Cummins’ rehabilitation programme.
Mitchell Starc, speaking earlier in the week, suggested that nothing much changes when Smith has the reins. “Smith has been a great sounding board for Cummins,” the left-arm quick pointed out, adding that the dressing-room dynamic remains steady whether the pace spearhead is playing or not.
For now, Australia will travel with contingency plans. Even if Cummins cannot bowl in the opener, he is expected to stay with the squad, lending on-field advice and off-field calm. Smith, should he captain, will lean on that presence but will not attempt to mimic it.
The next fortnight – Shield overs, middle practice, medical reports – will decide who walks out for the toss at the Gabba. Smith is confident either way, and, judging by his own words, already a touch impatient. “I feel like I’m going good,” he said once more while packing away his kit, as if the matter were already settled.
