Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023: Steve Smith credits ‘fun’ exercise for huge success in third Test in Indore

Steve Smith (Photo Source: Twitter)

Australia’s stand-in skipper Steve Smith has opened up about the very interesting and “fun” exercise he indulged in before going in to play the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

Smith has been handed over the captaincy reigns in the absence of Australia’s regular Test skipper Pat Cummins. The decision turned out to be extremely fruitful, as Australia after two massive losses in the first two Tests, came back to winning ways as they defeated India convincingly by nine wickets in the third Test.

Game of chess – Steve Smith reveals secret behind successful captaincy

“It’s a game of chess, every ball means something. It’s good fun moving people and trying to make the batter think and something different and just playing games with them,” the 33-year-old said while speaking in the post-match press conference of the third Test.

The right-handed batter stated that he treated captaincy like a game of chess. To think, strategise and move players around the field and position them in such a manner so that the opposition is completely baffled, just like chess. Playing mind-games with the opposition is what encouraged the star batter to always bring out the best from his team.

He further stated that India is a place where he loves to play and specially captain his side. Citing a prime reason, he said since the conditions are very tricky in India, it forces one to always think out of the box and be in the hunt for a plan.

“It’s probably my favourite place in the world to captain. You think back home in Australia, you generally play with a 3rd slip or putting a square-leg up or back or pulling a third slip to cover… there’s not much that goes on, you sort of stick to the same game plan and trust what you are trying to do. In this part of the world, you have to be very proactive. Every ball is an event and that ball can dictate what happens the ball after. Something that I really love. I thought I did it well this week and it was good fun,” Smith added.

Smith’s captaincy skills were lauded in the third Test. Some of his one-field decisions were major game-changers in putting India on the backfoot.

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