Stand-in Australian cricket captain Steve Smith has praised the input and assistance of his senior players, including Shane Watson, who has compared him to Ricky Ponting.
Batsman Smith captained the Test team in the injured Michael Clarke’s absence for the last three matches against India, and the one-day side when George Bailey was also unavailable.
Smith averaged 128 and scored four centuries in the Tests against India, setting a new record of runs scored in a four-Test match series against the visitors.
He has also been prolific in the one-day arena, averaging 84 against South Africa and 93 in the Tri-Series against England and India.
Smith attributed his golden run to showing greater patience at the crease.
He described the summer as unforgettable and has clearly relished his time in charge of a Test team in which he was the third youngest member of the side for the final match against India.
“I’ve really enjoyed every moment of it, the support I’ve been given from the public, and all of my teammates as well,” Smith told AAP on Tuesday at a function where he was representing men’s grooming company Gillette.
“All of the senior players have helped me out a lot through the period.”
One senior player clearly impressed by Smith’s burgeoning batting and captaincy skills is veteran allrounder Shane Watson.
“He’s an impressive leader, pretty chilled, pretty relaxed,” Watson said of Smith on Tuesday.
“Everyone knows what’s expected from him as well, but he’s also let his bat do the talking as well out there.
“He reads the game incredibly well for a young man. He’s been born with this cricket intuition as well, so in situations he knows where to go to, whether it’s with the bat, but also as a leader in the field.”
Watson also played plenty of cricket alongside another prolific batsman in former Australian captain Ponting.
“To see Steve Smith and what he’s doing in this point of time is very much along the lines of what Ricky Ponting was doing when he was dominating,” Watson said.
“I know Steve the way he is, the way he works the way, he holds himself, this is going to continue for a long period of time as well.”
Smith said there would be no awkwardness for either him or the team at the captaincy switching between Clarke and himself.
“I don’t think so, I think when Michael is fit and ready to go again, he’s going to step back into that role,” Smith said.
“I enjoyed doing the job temporarily in his absence and I’m sure when he is right, he’ll be fine to take over the charge again.”
While Smith has been a permanent part of the Test side for almost two years, he has only been a regular member of the one-day side for the last five months.
He has scored three hundreds and three other scores of 67 or more in his last 10 ODIs and only twice been dismissed for under 37 in that period, during which he has averaged 78.
He put his improved ODI output down to adjusting his game by and not being “too funky or playing too many shots.
“I’m certainly playing each ball on its merits a lot more, I’m not improvising as much.
“I’m not premeditating as much, so I certainly think it’s worked in my favour.”
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