Steve Smith, who will lead Australia in the first Ashes Test against England starting November 21 in Perth, has revealed that focusing solely on Test cricket has helped him stay mentally fresh throughout the season. The 36-year-old, who retired from ODIs, will captain the team as regular skipper Pat Cummins recovers from a lower back injury.Smith, who now resides in New York during the Australian winter, had not picked up a bat since August before returning to training.“I definitely burn out mentally quicker than I used to,” Smith told reporters after his first practice session.“Ten years ago, I loved coming back and playing every game I could. Now obviously my cricket test has taken a big priority. “Smith noted that his new approach to prioritizing formats has yielded positive results, as evidenced by his two centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last season.“Last year I was probably doing my best at the end of the summer against India, not having played too much cricket at the start. Honestly, I need two hits to get by. I feel like I’m ready to go now,” Smith said.The former full-time captain stressed the importance of mental freshness during long training sessions, especially as he gets older.“There’s obviously a balance, but I don’t think it takes me a lot of time now to get up to playing speed and I want to try to stay as mentally fresh. Technically I feel good, it’s about being mentally fresh. I don’t hit as many balls as I used to,” Smith said.
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Do you think Steve Smith’s focus on Test cricket will improve his performance?
“It’s about trying to get the best out of myself mentally when I’m in the middle and being able to concentrate for long periods of time.”Smith acknowledged that his current role as alternate captain seems less demanding than his tenure as full-time captain between 2013 and 2017.“It’s interesting how the brain works. I feel like I’m taking it to another level and trying to set a standard, I guess,” he said.While discussions about his future cricket plans, including participation in the 2027 Ashes in England, remain premature, Smith continues to adapt his approach to maintain peak performances in Test cricket.
