ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Steve Smith Shares Believes His Batting Style Can Help Australia In T20 World Cup

Steve Smith has said that despite being benched for Australia’s first T20I against the West Indies, he still has a lot to give the squad in the T20 World Cup thanks to his aggressive racing between the wickets and pushing the ball around on large Australian fields. 

While all-rounder Cameron Green excelled with double fifties at a strike rate of 214.54, Smith, the former Australia captain, had a dismal T20I series in India last month, making just 52 runs in three games at a strike rate of 133.33.

Even if there are appeals from past players to get Green into the T20 World Cup squad ahead of Smith, both big hitters Green and Tim David were a part of Australia’s top six against the West Indies on Wednesday. 

I Was In A More Defensive Frame Of Mind: Steve Smith

Smith recognised the depth and variety in the Australian team, but he also said that his personal thinking had changed from the period when he was solely playing a recovery role in the event of a top-order collapse. 

“Just having that more attacking mindset rather than when I was playing that kind of (recovery) role, I was probably in a more defensive frame of mind and almost trying to bat through without taking the game on as much,” Smith said in Brisbane. 

“But just having the license to go out and just play the way I want to play, and the situation that’s in front of me, I think that’s the way I play best.” 

I’m Not As Strong And Powerful As Some Of The Other Guys: Steve Smith

Smith acknowledged that he lacked some of his teammates’ power game but said that, especially on expansive Australian outfields, his unique style of timing the ball into the gaps may be valuable.  

“For me, I’m not as strong and powerful as some of the other guys. But some wickets entail just good smarts and punching the ball and timing the ball really well, particularly in Australia with big grounds, running hard between the wickets, that kind of thing,” Smith said. 

Before playing three games against England in Perth and Canberra and a T20 World Cup warm-up match against India at the Gabba, Australia plays another T20 International against the West Indies on Friday in Brisbane. 

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