Rajasthan Royals skipper and Australian star opens up to Gulf News on his team's IPL campaign, his philosophy of batting and more...
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#cricket #IPL2020 #SteveSmith
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00:00Such a great experience. Playing with and against the best players from around the world. It's a great learning curve. I've learnt so much along the way.
00:13Hello. Good day to our viewers. This is Gautam Bhattacharya from Gulf News with my colleague Shyam Krishna.
00:19We are on the track of IPL as you know. And with us, we have got a very, very special guest today in Steve Smith.
00:26How do we describe Steve Smith? In one word, it's very difficult.
00:29The Rajasthan Royal Skipper. The man with the best test averages in the world. You know, the man who's been there and done that.
00:36Welcome Steve and thanks very much for doing this. Thanks for having me.
00:38For all that you've achieved over the last decade or so, the IPL has actually played a good starting point in your career.
00:45We remember you coming down to India for Pune Warriors for I think about 19 years back. So, how has this IPL journey been for you, Steve?
00:55Yeah, it's been incredible. It's a terrific tournament to be involved in. Even going back to Pune Warriors like you just mentioned a long time ago.
01:05It's such a great experience playing with and against the best players from around the world. It's a great learning curve.
01:13I've learnt so much along the way and I still continue to learn. I'm sharing the dressing room with some terrific players.
01:21Josh Butler, Ben Stokes, Raul Tawati, Shreyas Gopal. Some good players. Just watching how different players prepare and go about their business is magnificent.
01:36And then to play against some of the best players around the world. You only have to look at AB Bavilias yesterday.
01:42Absolutely incredible to come up against those players. It's magnificent.
01:47Unfortunately, he went off yesterday. That would have been good if he failed yesterday. But yeah, such a great tournament.
01:54And yeah, continue to learn so much playing in it.
01:57You brought up the subject of yesterday's game. If we look at the points table, things may not have been going your way.
02:05But there have been so many close matches where the thing could have gone either way after those first two wins.
02:10What would be the Rajasthan Royals' modus operandi from here? If you can just say in a few words.
02:17The equation is pretty simple for us now. I think we have to win our last five games or maybe four or five if we're lucky to make the playoffs.
02:26It's pretty simple for us. Every game is basically a final now. The last two have been disappointing.
02:33I think we've got ourselves in positions to win the games. They're the ones you need to get over the line in.
02:39And then I think we've won a few where we probably shouldn't have won as well.
02:43They're the ones that generally make your season if you're winning the games you should.
02:49The last two have been tough pills to swallow. But I think we're actually playing pretty good cricket now.
02:57We've played good cricket for the majority of the game. We just need to close it out.
03:03It's been unfortunate. But we've got another game tomorrow. So we have to let yesterday go.
03:10Obviously, guys were hurting a bit last night. But the sun came up this morning. We've got to keep moving forward.
03:16We've got another game tomorrow. We've got to be as ready as we can to take on CSK.
03:20What actually went wrong? Because you guys got into a super start. The first two matches were brilliant games.
03:26And then your batting went pure shape. What happened there?
03:29Yeah, that's right. I think you hit the nail on the head. Our batting hasn't been good enough in T20 or in any form of cricket.
03:36Your top four or five need to be scoring the bulk of your runs.
03:42Unfortunately, that hasn't happened for us consistently. We've had guys like Tawatea and
03:48Riyan Parag got us out of trouble in one game. Tawatea in another game where he scored some good runs at the back end.
03:57Our top four or five haven't been consistent enough in scoring the bulk of the runs.
04:02And when that's not the case, you're not going to win too many games. So, it's been pretty simple for us.
04:08And you've struggled a bit with the opening competition also. I think you have something like five pairs of openers.
04:13Yeah, it's been a bit different. Our initial thoughts at the start was, you know, Joss and Jai's wall were going to open.
04:23Joss wasn't available the first game. So, I opened and I hit them pretty well.
04:28Albeit at Sharjah and slogging a bit. So, we sort of stuck with that combination when Joss came back and then went back to Jai's wall.
04:39Didn't quite work. And now, you know, it's an interesting one for us. I think when you look at
04:47the game of T20 now, I think there's so many batters that I think can open the batting.
04:52For me, I believe the most important and the most valuable player is someone that can finish a game
04:58off like AB de Villiers did yesterday. And for me, it's a difficult one with Joss. I think Joss is
05:05magnificent up top. He's very good. But he's also got the capabilities to do what AB did down the
05:10bottom as well. And I don't think there's too many of those players in the world. It's tough. I know
05:15Joss certainly wants to open the batting. But yeah, like I said, there's not many players
05:21that can do what Joss and AB and Hardik Panya, I reckon, is another one. MS Dhoni's done it for a
05:29long time. Andre Russell. They're probably a handful of players that I think have got the
05:34capabilities and the strength to be able to, on slower wickets, do what AB did yesterday. So,
05:42sort of changed our balance a bit. Joss also provides a bit more experience in the middle as
05:47well and can play both roles of playing smart cricket and using his power and innovation as
05:53well. So, yeah, we'll see which way we go going forward. You have been out of home, I think, since
06:00August, late August. You went to England, the White Ball series. Then you've come here and
06:06it's about a two-month haul. And then once you go back there again, you know, like you're going to
06:11see this coming up against India. So, life in the bubble. I mean, how tough or how easy,
06:18how you had been coping with it, living in the family? You guys have always spoken about it.
06:22It's not easy, is it? No, no. It's never easy leaving the family, that's for sure. But I guess
06:28to answer your question, it's very different, living in the bubble. You know, you can't go
06:32out to a restaurant or cafe to sort of get yourself out of your hotel and things like that.
06:39I guess we're also really fortunate that, first of all, England went ahead and were able to play
06:45some cricket and do what we love over there. And then I think the BCCI and the government
06:50here in the UAE have done a magnificent job getting this tournament to go ahead and enable
06:56us to still do what we love. But the cricket, it's very different, living in the bubble,
07:02playing in front of no crowds. It's not the same, that's for sure. But like I said, we're still
07:08really fortunate to be able to get out there and do what we love. When the IPL was starting,
07:14we were also a little apprehensive that the players have never had this kind of a downtime
07:19for about five months. And then there's no crowd. So we were wondering whether there'll be a lack
07:24of intensity or fitness issues. But so far, all players across the board, I mean, barring the few
07:33freak incidents, they've coped up with it very nicely, isn't it? I mean, it's a testament to
07:40the players' professionalism, everybody. Yeah, of course. And I think some players
07:44have probably taken a little bit longer to get their groove back. I'm probably an example of
07:50one of them. For me, I'm a real rhythm player and I need time in the middle. There's nothing
07:57like time in the middle as opposed to batting in the nets. It's completely different. So,
08:02yesterday for me, fortunately, I was able to finally spend some time in the middle and play
08:07the way that I'm accustomed to playing in a way, instead of just going after it and slogging.
08:14So hopefully that holds me in good stead for the rest of the tournament. But
08:18a lot of guys have been able to pick it up straight away and just get back into it.
08:23The game never stops. So credit to those guys. And they've done well. So it certainly is a
08:29different world we're living in at the moment. That's for sure.
08:31Let's take this opportunity of chatting with you and move on to Test Cricket. An average of
08:3662.84. And over the last six, seven years, your form has surprised people and people
08:46have entered you in the administration. Last year's ashes comes to mind. Can you talk us
08:51through a bit about it? How does your approach vary in Test matches?
08:56I think Test Cricket is completely different. For me, I love Test Cricket. It's really the
09:01ultimate challenge. You're coming up against amazing oppositions. For me, as a batter,
09:08you've got the ability to be able to bat for hours, which I love personally. I love being
09:13out there just playing. It's a different game. There's a lot more patience involved and
09:23different tactics to try and get you out and things like that, that you've got to overcome.
09:28I love playing Test Cricket. I love the challenge of it, of everything that it brings.
09:33And yeah, like you said, I guess I've been fortunate to have some success over the last,
09:38I don't know, six or seven years. And yeah, hopefully that can continue and I can help
09:43Australia win as many games as I can.
09:45If you look at last year's Test performances, you seem to come up with centuries and big
09:52knocks whenever Australia is in trouble. Does the crisis bring out the best in you or how
09:58do you cope with those kinds of situations?
10:00I try and do what I can for the team when we're in trouble. I hold myself highly in
10:08that sort of regard. I want to be the one to dig us out of a hole and help the team
10:13get back on track. And I enjoy batting in pressure situations. So I think they bring
10:19out the best in me in a way. Yeah, I guess I've been fortunate enough to dig the team
10:24out of a few holes and help us in some way and contribute. So yeah, I think I don't try
10:33and put too much pressure on myself in those stages. I just get in my zone and play the
10:39way I play and just enjoy myself out in the middle. I love batting. I love spending time
10:45out there. I'm doing what I love out there. It's just going about my business and doing
10:51what I do.
10:51You don't seem to do much bowling. Because when you came to Test initially, you used
10:56to do a bit of legspin. You haven't seen much of that of late. What is that?
11:00Yeah. Back in about 2012, I had a decision to make when I was out of the Australian team
11:10to my best way forward to get back and be successful and just keep playing for Australia.
11:15And at that stage, I decided that I'd stop bowling in the nets a little bit every now
11:21and again. But for me, it was about just focusing on my batting and spending all my time on
11:27that and trying to be as good as I can at that part of my game. I chose that then. And
11:32since then, I've just batted and batted. And I think it was a good decision that I made.
11:40Talking about the Test series at the Ushers last year. I mean, very recently, we have
11:45seen you that you have been a kind of the central figure in two documentaries. One was
11:50the Test we thoroughly enjoyed. And another one was on the Rajasthan Royals, the inside
11:55story from last year's campaign. How was the experience of allowing a TV crew inside the
12:00dressing room of an intense series like the Ashes? I mean, if you can share a bit of that with us.
12:06Well, it was a bit different initially. The first couple of weeks, there was someone around
12:11with a camera in front of you the whole time. That was a different experience. But I think after,
12:17you know, a week or two, you kind of just get used to it. And it was just about going about
12:22business as usual. And there was just someone there with you the whole time. And you got used
12:28to it. So, you know, both documentaries have come out really well and been good. So hopefully,
12:35the fans have enjoyed, I guess, a different insight into the players and got to know us,
12:41I guess, a little bit more as well. Where do you go from here? Now,
12:44you've got the India series coming up. What are your plans for the forthcoming series?
12:49Yeah, exciting to have India out to Australia again. They're always great series. Hard series.
12:57I think both teams have quality batting line-ups and great, in particular, fast bowling line-ups
13:03too. Plenty of experience there. So, you know, I think it's going to be, you know, a great series.
13:10And I'm really looking forward to that. When we spoke about your test averages,
13:14you must be really nearly part of the debate as who's the greatest test batsman. And we keep
13:20hearing about Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Ken Williamson, Joe Root. But when you're competing
13:27against each other, I mean, is that intensity natural? I mean, it's a team-to-team thing. I
13:34mean, it's nothing, not a personal battle, isn't it? I mean, how do you look at this? Or do you
13:39enjoy this kind of contest, you know, to go one up? How do you look at it?
13:43No, I don't. I actually don't think about that at all. You know, I'm just out there trying to do
13:47the best job that I can. I'll let everyone else throw out comparisons and, you know, and what
13:53have you. But for me, it's just about playing and doing the best that I can for my team, whichever
13:59team I'm playing for, whether it be Rajasthan or New South Wales or Australia. I just try and do
14:05the best that I can, score as many runs and help the team win. That's my ultimate goal. And
14:12yeah, I don't think too much about different comparisons, things like that.
14:17The last Ashes series, you know, after with that incident of your concussion. I mean,
14:23it threw up a guy who has proved to be an invaluable asset to your middle order in
14:28Labushane. So, you know, with this test series coming up, I mean, he's turned out to be quite
14:33a rock of your middle order. How do you value his contribution? How do you see his rise? It'd be
14:38wonderful to know that.
14:39Yeah, look, he's come on in leaps and bounds in the last couple of years. He's a good friend of
14:45mine now. He's got a great knowledge of what he's trying to do, the way he bats. And he's
14:52someone that just, he's so hungry for runs. He wants to be out in the middle and batting,
14:57much like I do. You know, we get on well with each other. You know, we always challenge each
15:02other to be better and improve and talk about the game and how, you know, someone's going to
15:08try and bowl to us or where we should score off a certain bowler or things like that. He's got
15:13the makings to be, you know, one of the greats of the game, I think. He's got it all there.
15:21And it's about just doing it on a consistent basis now. And, you know, I don't see any reason
15:26why he can't. He works incredibly hard at the game. Trains, you know, at a million miles an
15:32hour. He's focused and knows what he wants to achieve. So, yeah, hopefully he has a big summer
15:38for us again and just keeps piling on the runs.
15:41Other than Dallabh Ushai, do you see any other talents coming up in Australian side?
15:46Good question. I'm not really sure. I'm sure that there's plenty of young talent players out
15:53there. That's for sure. I think it's, yeah, for them, it's just about honing in their game,
15:58figuring out how they want to play. Yeah, just the experiences that they take and trying to get
16:06better each and every day. There's always young talent coming through. So, yeah, we'll wait and
16:11see which one's the next one to make it to the top.
16:14Thanks once again for your time. It's been a privilege to have you. And hoping all the best
16:22for the Royals in the coming matches so far. Thank you once again. Thank you, Shyam. Thank you, Steve.
16:26Thank you, Steve.
16:27My pleasure.
16:28Thanks, Gautam.
16:29Thanks, guys. Cheers.