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Steve Smith Excited for Two-Month Cricket Extravaganza with WTC Final and Ashes Series on the Horizon

image-lgdaz39cSteve Smith is currently ranked No. 3 in Tests (Twitter)

Australian batting mainstay, Steve Smith, has set his sights on a thrilling two-month cricket extravaganza, with his immediate focus on the much-awaited World Test Championship final against India that will get underway on June 7 at The Oval in London, followed by the highly anticipated Ashes series in England.

The right-hander, a vital cog in the Australian team, recently conducted an interactive session with his fans on Instagram. During the Q&A session, Smith revealed that the Australian team's preparation for the WTC final against India was progressing smoothly.



When asked about his preparations for the highly anticipated contest, Smith responded with great enthusiasm, stating that their progress towards the exciting match is going great. He shared that he has taken a short break and engaged in a preseason regimen but will be resuming his cricket training soon.

"Yeah, it is good (preparations for the WTC final). I have been on a bit of a break, a bit of a pre-season here for a couple of weeks to keep things ticking over and then get back into my cricket prep pretty soon and it is obviously an exciting couple of months coming up, looking forward to it," said Smith.


Smith's Record in this WTC cycle

Australia's impressive performance in the ICC WTC points table speaks for itself. With 11 wins, three losses, and five draws in 19 matches, the Pat Cummins-led side attained the top spot with a win percentage of 66.67%. In contrast, India, with ten wins, five losses, and three draws in 18 Tests, are ranked second with a win percentage of 58.8%.

The former Australian captain, who boasts a prolific record in the current WTC cycle, has accumulated 1,252 runs in 19 matches and 30 innings, including three centuries and six fifties, at an impressive average of 50.08. He ranks as Australia's third-highest run-scorer, trailing only Marnus Labuschagne (1,509 runs) and Usman Khawaja (1,608 runs).

Smith also reflected upon his favourite Ashes match. The unorthodox batter shared his memories of the 2019 Edgbaston Test, considering it an unforgettable experience as a player. However, he also acknowledged the entire 2005 series as a joy to watch as a spectator.

It is worth mentioning that the 33-year-old made his comeback in the Ashes series after serving a one-year suspension for his involvement in the ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal in 2018. Despite this setback, the veteran batter performed exceptionally well in the five-match series, becoming the leading run-scorer with an impressive score of 774 runs in four matches and seven innings, with an outstanding average of 110.57.