2LT National News

New Delhi [India], October 21 (ANI): Australia’s star batter Steve Smith had his first net session since late August, hitting against bowlers, and declared he’s ‘ready’ for the Ashes after a refreshing break in New York.

Smith, who is likely to lead Australia in the first Test due to Pat Cummins’s back injury, returned to Sydney and got back into practice net sessions, ESPNcricinfo reported.

Smith was recovering from a finger injury sustained in the World Test Championship final earlier this year and left the tour of West Indies, and since Smith only picked up a bat on his return home.

‘Honestly, it takes me two hits to get sorted. I feel like I’m ready to go now. I feel like I’m moving really nicely. I feel in a good place. I’ve been training quite hard. I’ve been doing a lot of lifting, trying to get a bit stronger. And I did all my strength tests yesterday and they’re all as good as they’ve ever been. So I feel like I’m going good, ‘ Steve Smith said.

Cummins’ availability for the opening Test is uncertain, with just over a month to go before the Ashes opener on November 21. Smith revealed that the Australian captain is yet to resume bowling.

‘He’s obviously got a few things to tick off and get into his bowling, but he was in good spirits and the team’s obviously better with him in it for sure. Hopefully he can get right and if he plays three Tests or five Tests or two Tests, as many as we can get out of him, it’s the best for the team,’ he added.

Smith has rarely had a problem with the dual responsibilities of captaincy and batting: his average when captain is 68.98 against 49.90 when in the ranks. One of the six Tests where he has filled in was during the 2021-22 Ashes when Cummins was a Covid close contact in Adelaide with Smith making 93 in the first innings.

In terms of losing Cummins’ bowling, Smith was of little doubt that Scott Boland could fill the breach. ‘I mean, we’ve got a pretty good replacement in Scott Boland who I think is arguably one of the best bowlers in the world,’ he said.

‘His record in Australia is outrageous, so we’re good there. Then the other two [Starc and Hazlewood] obviously have done a wonderful job for a long time as well. So I don’t think it disrupts too much,’ he concluded. (ANI)