Australia's captain-in-waiting, Steve Smith, attributes calm demeanour and the repetitive process of getting ready for the on-field battle as mantras for his highly successful run over the last few years.
"Probably just my patience and preparations. I am preparing the same way for every game, making sure I am doing the same things over and over with my routines," Smith told PTI in an interaction when asked the secret of his success.
"When I get out in the middle I am starting the same each time and trying to build an innings, give myself a chance before I start playing any big shots. That's probably the secret to my success," he explained.
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Smith, the scourge of India's bowlers on the recent tour to Australia when he scored four centuries and two half centuries in the four-Test rubber for the Gavaskar-Border Trophy, felt the exposure of playing against these bowlers helped a lot in his preparations.
"We knew what to expect from Indian bowlers. A lot of their bowlers, I have seen quite a bit. It's part of international cricket. It was just one of those things that every time I came up against them I managed to get some runs. It was a good (Australian) summer for me," he said modestly.
The "good summer" fetched the boyish-looking Smith - who also excelled in the subsequent World Cup for champions Australia by logging 402 runs in 8 games at a superb average of 67 - a whopping 769 runs at an average of 128.
His four Test tons included a near double of 192 in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in which he was also the team's captain.
