Former Australia Skipper Ahead Of Ashes And Return To Captaincy: 'Get Drained Mentally Quicker Than...'

Focusing exclusively on Test cricket has allowed Steve Smith to stay fresh throughout the season, a stark contrast to earlier years when the demands of all three formats left him exhausted.

Having retired

from ODIs, Smith took a break to refresh and is now set to lead Australia in the opening Ashes Test starting November 21 in Perth, as regular captain Pat Cummins is still recovering from a lower back injury.

The 36-year-old, who resides in New York during the Australian winter, had not picked up a bat since August.

“I certainly get drained mentally quicker than I’ve probably used to. Ten years ago, I loved to come back and play every single game that I could. Now obviously my Test cricket has taken a huge priority. I know that when I play a lot at the start, by the end of the summer I’m pretty cooked mentally and probably can’t produce the same performances,” Smith told reporters here after his first training session.

This careful management of his energy and focus on specific formats has had a positive impact. Smith noticed the benefits after scoring two centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last season.

“Last year, I was probably batting my best at the back end of the summer against India, coming off not too much cricket at the start. Honestly, it takes me two hits to get sorted. I feel like I’m ready to go now,” Smith said.

Although he has just begun training, Smith feels he is in good form. “Honestly, it takes me two hits to get sorted. I feel like I’m ready to go now,” he reiterated.

For Smith, staying mentally fresh is more crucial than spending excessive time in the nets, a practice he followed in his younger years.

“There’s obviously a balance, but I don’t think it takes me much now to get up to game speed and I want to try and stay as mentally fresh. Technically, I feel in a good place, it’s about being mentally fresh. I’m not hitting as many balls as I used to. It’s to try and get the most out of myself mentally when I’m out in the middle and be able to concentrate for long periods of time.”

He focuses on optimising his mental readiness for long periods of concentration when on the field.

Return To Captain Australia

While he believes it’s too early to discuss his future or potential participation in the 2027 Ashes in England, Smith finds interim captaincy in Cummins’ absence much easier compared to his tenure as full-time captain from 2013 to 2017.

“It’s interesting how the brain works. I feel like I kind of go to another level and try to set a standard, I suppose,” he said.

(With inputs from Agencies)