The star Australian batsman Steve Smith just reflected on how vastly things have changed since the last time in the 2011 World Cup which happened in India. Steve Smith had made his ODI WC debut way back in 2011 and it wasn’t a memorable tournament for Smith as the Aussies were bowed out from the tournament in the Quarter Finals stage.
Steve Smith became a star number 3 batter for Australia in all three formats in 2014-15 and played a key role in the 2015 ODI WC triumph and it won’t be wrong to say that Smith was one of the chief architects of the glorious triumph. In the recently concluded third ODI against India in Rajkot we saw Smith reach 5000 runs in the format and achieved it in 129 innings, becoming the fourth-fastest Australian to do it.
In 2011 Steve Smith was selected as the spinner in the team which was led by Ricky Ponting who could bat a bit and Steven Smith played six games but managed only 53 runs with the bat and a solitary wicket. However, he has now transformed into an extremely capable top-order batter after the 2011 World Cup in every format.
That’s a big difference – Steve Smith
Steve Smith was having an interaction with cricket.com.au and said that his role in the team is quite different than ODI WC 2011. Smith was aware of the challenge that he will have to bat in the top 4 as compared to the bottom four. The veteran batter Steve Smith revealed that he can roll and use his wrists in the 2023 World Cup unlike during the Ashes series due to injury.
“My role now is probably a little bit different to the last time that I was here in India for the World Cup when I was the spinner … things have changed a bit since then. I assume I’ll be batting in the top four as opposed to the bottom four so that’s a big difference,” said Steve Smith.
“I feel like I can use my wrists and decelerate in defence and all different things that I was struggling to do in England. A few things were challenging, particularly defending and decelerating, the force that goes through that was hard and when I got in certain positions, it was a bit,” he added.