Steve Smith Heaps Praises On India's Batting Depth; Backs Them To Fill The Void Left By A Few Players

Former Australian captain Steve Smith will undoubtedly be looking towards the high-voltage clash against India across formats in the upcoming summer. The two sides will lock horns in three Tests, three ODIs, and four Tests over a month and a half. With the Indian team has a few injury concerns and with Virat Kohli set to miss most part of the Test series, the tourists are slightly shaky. However, Steve Smith refuses to take them lightly.

Indian captain Virat Kohli would be part of the white-ball leg followed by the first Test in Adelaide. The 32-year old will leave Australia to be with his wife, who expects her first child to take birth in January. Along with that, Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma, who has been rested from the white-ball rubber, would also likely be unavailable for the first two Tests, failing to recover from their injuries. While the visitors have brought in an extended squad, the aforementioned players are significant losses.

Steve Smith underlined that the Indian team has plenty of quality batters coming through, ones who could fill in for the most experienced ones. The 31-year old highlighted the likes of Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul, both of who flourished in IPL 2020; hence, he believes that Virat Kohli’s absence would not let them take it all easy.

“But I guess the beauty with the Indian team is there are so many batters coming through, that are of high quality. You can look at someone like Mayank Agarwal in the IPL, just smashed, KL Rahul in the top order as well. There are plenty of options there for them so, look you leave a hole no doubt, but quality players there to back him up,” Smith said in the virtual press conference facilitated by Sony Network.

Virat is of obviously of high quality: Steve Smith

Smith was all praises of Virat Kohli, labelling the Indian captain as a high-quality player and plays well exceptionally across formats. However, he understands that the visitors boast of other batsmen too, waiting in the wings to fill the gaping hole left by Virat. The tour begins with the first of the three ODIs in Sydney on Friday.

“I think with Virat and the Test squad. You know there are a number of players who can come in and do a good job. Virat is of obviously of high quality, and we know how good he has been in all forms for a long period of times, so it is certainly going to leave a hole but I still do believe that they have got some quality batters waiting in the wings to fill that void,” he added.

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