Steve Smith 'ready to go' in WTC final
What's the story
Australia's star batter Steve Smith has expressed his eagerness to take on his opponent in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's. The 36-year-old cricketer, who recently concluded his ODI career after Australia's Champions Trophy semi-final exit, said he is ready for the challenge. "I feel the first two hits have been really good," Smith said in London ahead of the match, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Pre-match readiness
Smith's confidence from recent practice sessions
Smith's confidence comes from his recent practice sessions. He said he hadn't batted since missing a full toss off Mohammed Shami in the Champions Trophy. "I walked out of my first hit and told 'Ron' (Australia coach Andrew McDonald) straight away, 'can we play tomorrow? I'm ready to go,'" Smith added. The cricketer also compared his batting skills to riding a bike, saying once you learn it, you never forget it.
Fitness regime
Smith trained with a personal trainer in New York
During his time off, Smith trained with a personal trainer in New York. He said he feels as strong as he has been since 2014. "I feel like my hips are probably as good as they've been in a long time," Smith said. He also noted that this improvement will help him in the slips position during matches.
Match strategy
Smith to bat at No.4
Despite Cameron Green's return after a year-long absence from Test cricket, Smith will bat at No.4 in the WTC final, as confirmed by captain Pat Cummins. This comes after Green was promoted up the order following David Warner's retirement. However, due to a serious back injury last summer, Green missed out on playing and Smith returned to his preferred position at No.4.