‘He is leading from the front’ – Former Australia coach lauds Steve Smith for his remarkable captaincy against India
Steve Smith (Source: Twitter)
Australia is currently playing against India in the three-match ODI series. They will lock horns with Rohit Sharma’s India on March 22 at the M Chinnasawamy Stadium. Steve Smith-led Australia levelled the series by beating India in the second ODI. Smith’s captaincy and bowling changes have impressed fans and cricket experts as he received all rounds of acknowledgment. Ahead of the third game now, former Australia coach has praised Smith and backed him to play a big role in the upcoming World Cup.
The way Smith has led Australia in absence of Pat Cummins is something former Australia coach S Sriram has been impressed with. In a recent interview, Sriram said that with the experience of leading Australia in India Smith is leading the team from the front. “Smith is enjoying his captaincy. He is a very experienced batter, having led Australia before. That experience has come in handy on this tour. Plus, having toured India several times in the past he is aware of the conditions and leading from the front,” said S Sriram, former assistant coach of Australia.
Speaking further on the same Sriram talked about Smith’s ability to read the game. He said, “He also knows what angles the bowlers will bowl and sets the field accordingly. Plus, he is a brilliant fielder and an asset to any side.” Notably, in Smith’s captaincy Australia beat India in the third Test of The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 after getting hammered in the first two games. His leadership has changed the skin of Aussies as they are playing now more aggressively.
“Smith will look on Mitchell Starc in the third game too”, says S Sriram
In the first two games of the ongoing ODI series, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has been a nightmare for Indian batters. He has been phenomenal in two games and has earned crucial breakthroughs in the Powerplay in both games. Speaking about the same Sriram said, “Steve Smith knows how to handle Starc. Starc will once again be a thorn in the flesh of the India top-order. On his day, it will be difficult to play him as he is accurate and can swing the ball with a lively pace.”
“The score is 1-1. Smith is not a person to be carried away by all these talks. Smith knows his job. He understands that beating India in India is always tough. He will watch and do things as per the flow of the game, keeping in mind the situation”, he further added.
