Steve Smith Ecstatic After Australia Secure Berth In WTC Final
Steve Smith after Australia defeated India in Indore [Source: AP]
Australia's stand-in captain, Steve Smith, lauded his team and supporting staff following their successful qualification for the World Test Championship Final.
The team's commanding nine-wicket triumph over India in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Indore secured their spot in the final of the prestigious tournament.
With a staggering 68.52% of their possible WTC points and 11 out of 18 victories, Australia have been a formidable force in the ongoing WTC cycle.
Speaking to the International Cricket Council (ICC), Smith expressed his delight in achieving their long-standing goal of reaching the World Test Championship Final.
He attributed the team's success to the hard work and dedication of the players and support staff, adding that it would be a well-deserved reward for everyone to finish as World Test Champions.
Furthermore, Smith highlighted the prospect of playing in the WTC final ahead of the Ashes, which would provide Australian fans with an excellent opportunity to support their team at The Oval.
He also emphasised the team's desire to maintain their momentum by aiming for victory in their final Test against India.
In the press conference that followed the match, Smith had also expressed admiration for his team's remarkable resurgence in the third Test after trailing 0-2 in the series.
The right-hander acknowledged that the team had felt let down by their inability to seize opportunities in the previous game and realised that winning the series had become unattainable after the second test.
The 33-year-old further added that winning the series was one of their long-standing goals, and the team had to regroup and focus on their plan. He emphasised the importance of trusting their methods and persevering towards their objectives, regardless of the result.
The World No. 2 Test batsman stated that the team had discussed this strategy, and he was pleased with how they had executed it in the third Test.
He reckoned that by having faith in their abilities and persisting with their plans for long enough, they knew they are good enough players to get the desired results more often than not.
 "Jatin")
