‘I’m Ready’: Steve Smith Sounds The Alarm For India Ahead Of BGT 2024-25

Steve Smith sent a stern warning to India ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, starting this month. He played a fluent 44-run knock vs Pakistan and expressed readiness to play Test cricket.

Steve Smith, one of the ‘Fab Fours’ (four of the world’s best contemporary batters) announced his readiness for Test cricket and issued a stern warning for India ahead of the fabled Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, which is a little over 15 days away. Smith played a fluent 44-run innings of 46 balls in the 1st Australia vs Pakistan ODI on November 4 (Monday) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Smith, who played his first international match at home since January this year, played a chanceless innings before being dismissed by Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf six runs shy of a fifty. Coming at number three, Smith scored six boundaries in his knock.

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‘Preparation Has Been Really Good’: Says Smith

Smith, who will be seen returning to his original number four position in Australia’s Test batting order for the upcoming five-match series against India after experimenting with the opening spot, mentioned that he feels he is in a good batting rhythm.

"My last week in preparation has been really good. I feel like I'm in a nice place and moving really well, I'm really balanced at the crease, and I feel like my bat's coming down a nice plane. So I was happy with the way about it tonight. It would be nice to have been out there a little bit longer," Smith told SEN Radio after Australia's win in the 1st AUS vs PAK ODI in Melbourne.

Smith Says He Is 'Ready' To Play Test Match

Smith also expressed his readiness for playing a Test match saying “I could go out and play a Test match tomorrow.” Smith’s comment comes after India lost a historic Test series at home to New Zealand, who clean-swept Rohit Sharma & Co. 3-0 and became the first team in the history of cricket to do so in a series with three or more Tests.

A 0-3 defeat at home has dented India’s chances of qualifying for the WTC 2023-25 final but they still can go through if they manage to defeat Australia by 4-0 in the BGT. In case of failure to do so, they will have to rely on other teams’ results.

"I'm ready. I'm ready now. Yeah, I could go out and play a Test match tomorrow, so I feel like I'm in a good place. I've had a really good week of training, came down here early and had a few hits. And I was just trying to get a few things right that I felt like I didn't quite have in sync. And it all just clicked. And I feel like I'm in a good place now," Smith further added.

For the unversed, Steve Smith stands as one of the biggest nemesis for India, especially in Test cricket. He has amassed 2042 runs in 19 Tests with an exceptional average of 65.87 and stands as the eighth highest run-scorer against India in Tests in the history of cricket.

Will Smith continue his dominance against India in Tests in the upcoming AUS vs IND Test series or will the debilitated India find a way to curb Smith’s batting prowess and usher in a new chapter? Only time will tell.