Follow UsAustralia are on the quest for another World Test Championship (WTC) title when they take on South Africa in the final at Lord's, starting June 11. Steve Smith, whose last international appearance for Australia came in the Champions Trophy semi-final against India, says that he is raring to go after a three-month break.
The Australia batter did not have any international commitments in these three months, and neither did he have any contract with the T20 leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“I’d normally have a bat lying around the house somewhere and just pick it up and do a bit of shadow batting and stuff. But I made a conscious decision to try and just let it go for a while. It was good," Smith said, according to ESPNCricinfo.
“I hadn’t hit a ball since I missed a full toss off Mohammed Shami in the Champions Trophy. Fortunately, everything sort of clicked into place immediately. I feel like I’m moving really well, I feel strong and just ready to get into it now."
With an average of over 55 in Tests at Lord's, Smith considers the iconic stadium his favourite after Sydney. “I think it’s probably, outside of Sydney, my favourite ground to play at,” he said.
“The history, the surface itself. It always takes a few balls just to get used to that slope. One end, you feel like you’re standing really tall, the other end you feel like you’re falling over a little bit. But the ball races away, both up the hill and down the hill."
Australia have the chance to become the first-ever team to win back-to-back WTC finals, having beaten India in the previous edition in 2023.