Steve Smith is adamant the latest iteration of his unique batting technique will help him rediscover his career-best form, warning his most prolific Test summer could still be ahead of him.
The 33-year-old has gradually adjusted his trademark back-and-across movement over the past 12 months, reverting to a more orthodox stance during the recent ODI series against England.
He is noticeably much stiller at the crease after tinkering with his action. Movement is less exaggerated, allowing his feet, hands and torso to synchronise more effectively, particularly when on the back foot.
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Ahead of the two-Test series against the West Indies, which gets underway on Wednesday, Smith feels immensely confident with where his batting’s at.
“I’ve started to get rhythm in my batting, something I’ve lacked for a while now,” Smith told reporters in Perth on Sunday.
“I feel like I’m in a good place … I’m excited to hopefully spend a lot of time in the middle this summer.
“When I hit that first pull shot in Adelaide (against England) through mid-wicket it was kind of like, ‘Wow, I’ve actually got my bottom hand back’.
“That was what I was after.”
Since the unforgettable 2019 Ashes series, Smith’s Test record on home soil has been commendable, but nowhere near the lofty standard Australian cricket fans have come to expect from the talented right-hander.
The New South Welshman has averaged 36.86 in his 14 most recent Tests on home soil – not disastrous numbers by any means, but hardly Bradmanesque.
During the 2019/20 home summer, New Zealand seamer Neil Wagner peppered Smith with bouncers to great effect, silencing the former Australian captain with short stuff directed at the armpit.
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Smith believes his exaggerated back-and-across movement, first conceived ahead of the 2013 Ashes Test in Perth, resulted in him getting too front-on to the bowler when on the back foot.
“If you’re too front on you can sort of follow the ball if it nips away from you, or you’re not getting into positions that are where I wanted to be to leave the ball as well,” he explained.
“Where I’ve got to right now is the ultimate for me. I feel like I don’t have to work as hard to access the offside with my body and my hands. I can just sort of play with a nice flow.
“I got my hands to a position at the start of last summer where I was close to what I am now, but they weren’t in sync with my feet, and my upper half was coming around.
“Now I’ve got them all in sync together, it feels really nice.
“It felt easier, and it felt like I had a lot more time.”
Smith hopes the subtle change will help him replicate his batting during what he considers the pinnacle of his career – the 2014/15 home summer.
After averaging 128.16 with the bat in a four-Test series against India, Smith finished the 2015 World Cup as Australia’s highest run-scorer, plundering 402 runs at 67.00 in a triumphant campaign on home soil.
Smith cautiously confessed his batting feels even better than it did eight years ago. His glory days could still be ahead of him.
“I’ve just been racking my brain to see how I can get better,” Smith said.
“I always look back at 2014/15 … I felt as though I was batting the best I have and trying to replicate that in a way with my hands and feet.
“It feels as though it has all come together and hopefully it’s a perfect storm this summer.
“That was obviously a pretty prolific summer for me. But if I can top that it would be great.”
This week’s series opener against the West Indies will be Smith’s first Test at Perth Stadium facing a red Kookaburra.
The only thing preventing Smith from recapturing his career-best form is a “grumbly” left hip, caused by a freak massaging mishap while using a pso-rite over the weekend.
The device is designed to release muscle tightness, but it left Smith feeling sore, limiting himself to light duties at training on Sunday.
“I was hitting myself in the psoas trying to loosen that up and I got a little low and I hit a little nerve and whatever else is there,” Smith laughed.
“It’ll be fine. It’s just me being me.”
The first Test between Australia and the West Indies gets underway at Perth Stadium on Wednesday, with the first ball scheduled for 1.20pm AEDT.