The Indian Test tour 14 months ago was tumultuous on and off the field. The 4-0 drubbing signified a drop in Australian cricket standards.
The outcry from various corners of the world was that Australian cricket had reached the bottom of the barrel and needed to scrape that same barrel to produce an upcoming Test batsman.
Twelve months on, not only is Australia ranked the number one team but importantly they have unearthed a prospering Test match batsman. That task seemed improbable when Australia was winless during the exasperating period between February and September last year.
Steve Smith’s rise in the past twelve months might seem like gradual, as his current Test average hovers around 40, but in the context of Australia’s demand for batsmen it has been swift.
Smith had played five Tests before he was picked in the starting eleven, due to the homework saga in Mohali during the third Test. It was a turbulent time. The captain and the vice captain were supposedly in different corners while the coaching methods employed were that of a business module out of an MBA text book. It felt like there was no way out for Australian cricket.
It was certainly not an ideal situation to return to Test cricket.
On the following day Smith showcased his ability with the bat against the turning ball. The pitch wasn’t a rank turner, but walking in to bat when you have seen Australia’s captain walk straight past the first ball he faced must add to the nerves.
But Smith was not to be deterred. He passed the test with flying colours, scoring a mature, determined and patient 92. It was Smith’s first innings for Australia since taking the advise of his state coaches to concentrate solely on his batting and try to mould as a batsman rather than a genuine all rounder.
The transition started only 12 months prior for NSW, where Smith batted at number four for majority of the season. While the stats didn’t back his promotion it was his timely innings on a sub-continental pitch at Blacktown Oval against Western Australia that made the selectors pick him for the Indian tour.
His quick footwork against spinners ensured Smith was Australia’s best player of spin after Michael Clarke. Smith ended up with 161 runs from two final Test matches, the most among the Australian batsmen. The 46 he scored in Delhi was a great knock and as worthy as his 92 in the third Test, given only two fifties were scored on either sides on crumbling pitch.
It was enough to secure him a place in the Ashes squad.
The spin test had been conquered, but now Smith had to overcome the challenge of the swinging ball. In the first innings at Edgbaston the signs were promising. Smith showcased a fine technique to score a gritty and determined 53. It wasn’t an innings to make headlines but the way Smith handled James Anderson on a gloomy and overcast day was a further glimpse of the revamped Steve Smith.
It was a mental win for Smith because in the 2010/11 Ashes at home, Smith left his bat hanging like washing on the line and the ball kept kissing the outside or the inside edge. Throughout that summer he was made to look like a boy playing against grown men.
But in that first innings in Edgbaston the key to Smith’s innings was the way he left the ball. Smith also had the shots to score runs but now he had the technique to keep the good balls out.
It was an innings that would have given Smith enormous confidence. The technical deficiency in his game had been eradicated through hard work and his determination to transform into a top order batsman had surfaced.
The only issue he had in England was he found ways to get out. He bottom edged on to his stumps and was caught at deep mid wicket trying to reach his first ton. He was also the recipient of a couple of inaccurate decisions.
Finally, his luck turned in the final Test and Smith reached his maiden Test hundred. It was the last tick Smith had set out for since turning out for NSW nearly fifteen months ago. Techinque, patience, confidence and strokes – Smith had it all.
Smith’s batting in Tests didn’t go unnoticed and one of the wisest decisions the Australian selectors persisted with was not to tinker with his style. They didn’t want Smith to start wafting outside off stump and nor did they want him to get into the mindset of the short format of the game.
The ideology was that Australia needed Smith as a front line Test batsman for the Ashes at home. They could ill afford for Smith to lose the touch with the longer format of the game by sending him to India for a seven-match ODI series. It turned out to be a master stroke, as in the space of next five Test matches he proved to his critics he had arrived on the Test scene.
The man from the “Shire” may have missed out on the first two Tests with the bat, but while all the accolades were poured over team mates in Mitchell Johnson, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris and Clarke, Smith gathered himself to dig Australia out of the doldrums in Perth to score a fine century.
Behind the scenes you sensed Smith knew he now belonged in Test cricket.
But Smith was not finished yet. He saved his best for the final Test in front of his crowd on a pitch that was clearly underprepared. In the 10 Ashes Test innings Smith had accumulated 672 runs at an average of 42 with three Test hundreds. All the tons in were in the first innings and came at a point when Australia desperately needed a batsmen to stand up.
While Steve Smith might have convinced his team mates, coaching staff and himself, many pundits still had the thoughts of “let’s see how he goes against Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander”.
In Centurion on a bouncy pitch he batted diligently. The South Africans wanted him to poke at short wide balls but he resisted. They bowled outside off stump, enticing him to play a loose drive, but he resisted. Smith left and left and left. He scrambled to fifty and then feasted on the loose balls targeted at his body or his legs.
It was classic example of how to construct a Test innings, something that was a distant dream even for Smith when he tried ever so hard to score a ton for NSW in first class cricket twelve months ago. Now in the space of 13 Tests he had four Test hundreds, including two nineties. It showcased his dramatic rise.
Once again David Warner’s batting and Johnson’s bowling captured all the headlines as Australia defeated the number one team on their home soil. In Australia’s seven wins from eight Tests, Smith was overshadowed despite playing match-winning knocks in four of the seven Tests.
Johnson, Harris and Haddin might have resurrected Australian cricket in the short terms, but Steve Smith’s revelation as a batsmen ensures Australia will be a force going forward.
Australia has unearthed a batsman that can be the backbone of their Test batting line-up for a number of years to come. That itself has perhaps been Australia’s greatest accomplishment in the past twelve months.
Matthew Buxton
Roar Pro
Future test captain probably! Weapon
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It may not have been an "afterthought" as such. He played the previous test series, and then they included him in the Australia-A tour of England before having him join the main Australian squad. They may well have liked the idea of Smith being in the side, but just wanted to see him play in England a bit (he largely made the India tour purely on the back of being a good player of spin) before deciding for certain whether the add him to the main squad. But either way, he still wasn't in the originally selected squad meaning that as recent as that he was still very much a fringe player and he's anything but that now.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I'm no great Doolan fan, but I'd give him this series and the first two tests against India in Australia. If he hasn't done enough by then to feel confident taking him as the #3 for the Ashes in England then you give someone else a go for the last two India tests. I'm pretty sure Doolan will go to the UAE. Maxwell is an interesting call. He had a few good innings in the last Shield season, but I still don't think he's ready for test cricket. However, he does seem to handle spin pretty well, so it mightn't be the worst pick for the UAE tests against Pakistan where they are likely to just be bombarded with spin, spin and then a bit more spin.
Tom from Perth
Guest
Good article man. Smith is a weapon.
Armchair Expert
Guest
People forget Smith wasn't even in the original Ashes squad in England last year, he was only selected as an "afterthought".
philhughes
Guest
''Pretty good batting, certainly deep. Two outright quicks, one medium fast, one medium, and two spinners. Maybe only three top flight specialist test bowlers, but Faulk isn’t far off that status. Two good backups too.'' Faulkner is a specialist bowler ,he averages 23 with plenty poles in fc.The all round tag seem to make persons believe he isn't a specialist bowler.
Paddywagen
Guest
http://m.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australian-bowler-jackson-bird-out-for-four-months-with-recurrence-of-back-injury/story-e6frf3g3-1226870901482
Bob Sims
Guest
Good article. Smith's coming of age guarantees three things - a class batsman for years to come, someone to confidently fill the all important number three position in the not too distant future and most importantly, Australia's next captain (transition to vc when Haddin retires, then graduation when Clarkie either retires or his back finally gives way for good).
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
Bird was over in England when he broke down I think. Wonder who will open the bowling with Mitch in the UAE, wouldn't like him and Starc together at all.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Maybe Lillee was the one who uncoached him then? Whichever way you look at it, working with DKL has helped Mitch. I think Boof and Clarkie are a big part of it too though.
Peter
Guest
Just as a comment on the assumption that it was a lot of coaching which got him to where he is now. Interestingly it was actually the opposite, over coaching is one of the biggest problems in trying to improve because you end up with different opinions from a number of "experts" and this can cause confusion. What actually happened is he started to understand his game a lot better and took control of his own technique - what worked for him and what he needed to do to improve. He still sort advice, but he was the one in control and only made changes for very clear reasons.
john uhr- henry
Guest
We did have a few good quick bowlers but with Patterson and Bird out injured and Harris not long back from surgery our quick bowling stocks aren`t as great as they could be and with Siddle only bowling medium pace we are battling for good bowlers. We only need an injury to Johnson or another of our bowlers left and we will be in dire straights. Faulkner is a good all-rounder who is finding his way in the top 11-12 but pace bowlers win matches and hopefully we will get some back very soon or take some up and comers to the UAE for experience and there we may find some more good prospects. I meant to mention Starc and Cummins who are also very good bowlers and can swing a ball around as well. I guess the new Australian selectors will pick a good team to get us there. We have a few good batsmen but capt. Clarke has been iffy lately as has Watson who incidentally I would retire and blood some young bats again. Look what happens when we blood players like Smith and he has come around from being a round arm baseballer to quite an accomplished batsmen with a lot of coaching and advice how to bat successfully, get runs and stay in instead of being out.
Stevo
Guest
Smith hath improved, when he first came on the scene his batting technique was the worst I have seen for a test bat. He looked like a baseball player. I guess he was only selected for his tall poppy name!
Bee bee
Guest
I remember an article on this site ranking the 22 players going into the first ashes in England last year. Steve Smith was no 22 behind Phil Hughes at no 21. Hughes and smith led the first recovery before Agars world record innings. That was less than 12 months ago. Quite a rise.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Maybe at 3, but Cosgrove didn't do enough to deserve his spot last summer.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I'd look at Doolan or Hughes in place of the awaiting injury and Cosgrove at 6.
Nudge
Guest
There is an article on cricinfo James about pattinson that says he has another back injury. I'm just assuming the worst but it does sound like a stress fracture. McDermott said they have too do some work on his action, but not until his back has fully heeled. So to change his action a little bit you would have to assume that is not just a 2 week thing and more likely 2/3 months. Can't remember where I read the Bird injury but they said he had some type of back injury again. Think perhaps he was going to play county cricket but he isn't now. It looks like Harris will not go to the UAE either. I like your team and I would go with your top 7. I'd seriously consider Starc for the UAE as he bowls reverse as good as anyone in Australia. Siddle certainly hasn't been lighting it up in county cricket so far so you would assume he is still bowling around 130/135. My team now would be Warner Rogers Watson Clarke Smith Maxwell Haddin Faulkner/Starc Johnson O'keeffe Lyon
jameswm
Roar Guru
Bird's done his back again? Really? When" How bad? He looked like he was bowling better than before. Same control, a bit more pace, bounce and swing. Difficult customer to handle except on a road. Patto is that injured? You're kidding. Who becomes the 3rd quick then? I guess Siddle. I think Pattinson had moved to 3, and Bird was fighting Siddle for 4. Starc at 6 perhaps, then Faulkner and others. Maybe the Faulk would work in the UAE. I'd consider a team like this, but they'll stick with Doolan. 1. Warner 2. Rogers 3. Watson 4. Clarke 5. Smith 6. Maxwell 7. Haddin 8. Faulkner 9. Johnson 10. Harris 11. Lyon Pretty good batting, certainly deep. Two outright quicks, one medium fast, one medium, and two spinners. Maybe only three top flight specialist test bowlers, but Faulk isn't far off that status. Two good backups too.
Nudge
Guest
Yeah it would be really good. Just need Harris and Johnson to go another 18 months as our young quicks keep breaking down. Birds done his back again and Pattinson has done his again as well. Pattinson could possibly miss the Australian summer again as McDermott has said that he now needs to do remedial work on his action and that will only start when his back heels fully. So he's probably 7 months till he will be back bowling competitively which takes it too around November
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I don't know that too many people really overlooked Smith through all this. Sure Warner and Johnson had a lot of the headlines, but if you read many of the stories and/or comments throughout the Ashes and SA series you'd have seen a lot of people commenting on the quality in Steve Smith, including many people saying how they were happily eating their hats having been totally against his inclusion in the first place. The big turnaround for him is that by the end of all those tests he's gone from someone who was one of those sorts of people where just were so nervous about whether he could survive his first few overs to an absolute rock. The way he came back, batted at #3 for NSW and just took charge the moment he got to the crease, like the seasoned veteran who's just a class above all the others around him was really impressive. It all belies his baby-faced looks and slightly unusual looking technique. In a lot of ways he really has a very traditional technique masked in some movements that make it look a bit awkward, but when you really come down to it, the looks are deceiving and he's really been able to build himself one of the most solid techniques going around! Look forward to another decade of Smithy playing for Australia!