‘It takes two hits to get sorted’: Smith back from New York in Ashes state of mind

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Steve Smith admits he isn’t hellbent on batting at No.4 for Australia in the Ashes and believes his low-key preparation in New York, where he didn’t pick up a bat for about six weeks, hasn’t affected his readiness for this summer.

The Australian vice-captain, who will lead the Test side if Pat Cummins fails to recover from a back injury, had his first hit against bowlers since August 28 on Tuesday at Cricket NSW headquarters. His last match was in the limited-overs The Hundred tournament in England.

One month out from the Ashes, Smith’s place in Australia’s XI is assured, though debate continues about the batting order.

This masthead revealed earlier this month that selectors have discussed a possible reshuffle that would see Smith move to No.3 to accommodate Cameron Green at No.4. There is a school of thought that Green is better suited lower down the order if he is also bowling.

While a top order spot remains an outside chance, Smith said he wasn’t wedded to the No.4 spot.

“I’m not too fussed, to be honest. I’m happy kind of wherever,” Smith told reporters. “We’ll see what happens when the team is picked. We’ll talk to the coaches and see where everyone fits in best and keep it as simple as that.”

Steve Smith during a net session at Cricket NSW headquarters on Tuesday.

Smith will play two Sheffield Shield matches for NSW - against Queensland and Victoria - before the first Test in Perth from November 21.

Although he didn’t have any net sessions while in New York, where he now lives, Smith said the mental break had been invaluable.

“I’ve got pretty much two weeks before my first game, which is probably too much these days,” Smith said. “Honestly, it takes me two hits to get sorted. I feel like I’m ready to go now.

“I’ve had three hits since I’ve been back. Everything feels good. I’ve been training quite hard, been doing a lot of lifting, trying to get a bit stronger. I did all my strength tests yesterday, and they’re all as good as they’ve ever been.

“I feel like I certainly get drained mentally quicker than I probably used to. Ten years ago, I loved to come back and play every single game that I could.

“I know that when I play a lot at the start, by the end of the summer I’m pretty cooked mentally and probably can’t produce the same performances as I suppose I did last summer.”

Smith praised Marnus Labuschagne’s resurgence, saying he’d mounted a compelling case to feature in the first Test. Labuschagne has scored four centuries this season for Queensland across all formats.

“It’s a pretty big statement,” Smith said. “He said to me at the start of the summer, ‘I’ll be in that Test team come the first Test’. He’s backed up his words.

“He’s obviously not selected yet, but he’s done a lot of things right. He can open, as we saw in the World Test Championship final, but he can bat three. He’s versatile.

“It’s always tough when you get dropped. I think he knew he probably wasn’t batting as well as he had. My advice to him was to stop thinking so technically, just go and play the game, watch the ball, and react. I think he’s been doing that really beautifully.

“Hopefully, he’s used up all these runs for a few weeks, [and] can have a lean trot next week [when NSW play Queensland] and then get back into it.”

Asked where he thought Green’s best position in the Test order was, Smith said: “I think he can bat anywhere, as he showed in the West Indies. I thought he batted really nicely at three. He’s got a really good technique, good temperament. The beauty with our line-up, I think everyone can slot in at different spots and be versatile.”

Smith said he was excited by the chance to captain Australia again.

“Pat’s still got a few things that he can tick off,” Smith said. “You never know. He’s a healer. He gets well quickly.

“I’ve stood in a couple of times over the last few years. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. If it happens, I’ll look forward to it. It’s been a seamless transaction.”