IND vs AUS: Smith believes luck and faith helped him regain his form

Smith was struggling with his form ahead of the series, but it seems like he has overcome that phase, as he now has two centuries under his name in the last two Tests

The Australian cricket team has once again put India under pressure in the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After day two of the fourth Test at Melbourne, Australia holds a commanding lead of 310 runs, with the visitors reduced to 164 for five despite a few promising partnerships.

 

Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Australia posted a massive first-innings total of 474 runs, powered by Steve Smith’s brilliant 140. Smith, who had been struggling with his form before the series, seems to have overcome that phase, now boasting two centuries in the last two Tests. Speaking at the post-day press conference on Friday, the star Australian batter discussed how he regained his form and praised young debutant Sam Konstas for setting the tone at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the Australian batters.

 

Faith in process

 

Smith reflected on his challenging phase, during which he went 18 months and 23 innings without a century. Within just two weeks, however, he has scored two centuries. Smith credited his turnaround to having faith in the process and trusting his technique. He highlighted the distinction between being out of form and simply being out of runs, explaining that even during his lean patch, he felt he was batting well. According to Smith, patience and confidence were crucial to rediscovering his rhythm.

 

The role of luck and trusting the process

 

Smith acknowledged the role of luck in cricket, particularly on difficult pitches. He shared that in recent matches, he benefited from fortunate umpire decisions and deliveries that missed his bat but did not result in dismissals. While recognising luck as an inherent part of the game, Smith stressed the importance of trusting one’s preparation and technique. He advised players to focus on the next ball, maintain confidence, and move past each delivery. Smith firmly believes that consistent processes will eventually yield runs, even in challenging conditions.

 

 

A crucial last hour

 

Reflecting on the final hour of play, Smith underlined its significance in shifting momentum. He noted that breaking the crucial partnership between Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal and quickly dismissing two more batters in succession were pivotal moments for the team. Smith praised the collective effort of the Australian side in maintaining pressure, which led to a strong finish for the day.

 

Praise for Konstas

 

Smith also lauded the fearless approach of debutant Sam Konstas, who displayed remarkable composure against some of the world’s best bowlers. Watching from the commentary box, Smith noted how Sam, despite being beaten several times, showed audacity by reverse-lapping a delivery. He described it as a moment of real bravery that helped shift momentum in Australia’s favour. Smith commended the young player’s confidence and highlighted the positive impact such performances have on team morale.