The veteran Australian batter Steve Smith enjoys his useful batting role and believes that he can be a part of the Australian squad in the T20 World Cup that is going to be held at their home ground later this year if he continues with the same form.
Steve Smith has been considered a crucial player in the T20Is during Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign in UAE last year. The 33-year-old enjoys his useful batting role and believes that he can be a part of the Australian squad in the T20 World Cup that is going to be held at their home ground later this year if he continues with the same form.
However, during the tour of Sri Lanka in June, the right-hander was free from the “Mr. Fix it” tag by the team management, giving him the green light to go and play freely.
“I feel like when I’m playing good T20 cricket, I’m in that team (T20 World Cup) for sure,”
Smith was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Tuesday.
“The role that I’ve been given the last couple of years is the ‘Mr. Fix It’ role and that tag’s been taken away from me now.”
The right-hander feels he can now play his natural game in the shortest format without any hesitation.
“For the Sri Lanka tour, I felt like I could go out and just play with a lot more freedom and nature and not have any kind of hesitation in the back of my mind.
“I can just take the game on and if I want to smack someone for six first ball, then I’m able to do that freely,”
Smith added.
With the inclusion of Mitchell Marsh, who is now occupying the third spot that once belonged to Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis. Smith’s spot in the T20Is has become doubtful.
In the series against Sri Lanka, Smith batted twice in the T20Is and scored five off four balls in the second game before playing an unbeaten knock of 37 off 27 balls in the final game.
His strike rate from the four innings has improved from 91.98 (in three innings during last year’s World Cup) to 120.37. The T20 World Cup will be held in Australia from October 16 to November 13.