Sending the alarm bells ringing for Team India, Australian ace Steve Smith said Tuesday that he has finally found his rhythm after an unsuccessful outing with Rajasthan Royals. 

“Over the last few days, I’ve sort of found my hands, which I’m extremely excited about,” Smith, who is on the prowl to justify his rankings as the world’s top Test batter, told AFP. 

“It’s taken me about three or four months to do it but I’ve found them now which is pleasing.”

Admitting he was unhappy with his display in the Indian Premier League, he said: “I never really got into a good rhythm.”

However, the 31-year-old believed something changed this week as he prepared for the upcoming series against India, which starts with a one-day international in Sydney on Friday.

The batsman who has amassed 7,227 in Tests said it was difficult to define what was different, but it left him “with a big smile on my face” and eager to hit the practice nets.

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“It’s getting that feel, the look of the bat, getting the toe the right way, the way my hands come up on the bat,” he said.

“It’s hard to explain but it hasn’t been right up until about two days ago, then something sort of clicked in.”

While over the years bowlers have found it immensely frustrating to scalp the wicket of the Sydney-born, recently there is a perception surrounding Smith’s vulnerability to cope with short-pitched deliveries aimed at his body. 

Yet, he was unfazed at the prospect of India’s bowling attack peppering him with bouncers.

“It’s a kind of flattery in a way, if that’s the only way people believe they can get me out because they’ve exhausted so many options,” he said.

“It gives me a lot of confidence.”

Talking about the problems that arose in the IPL, he said, “I got caught up a little bit with trying to be too powerful, that’s not quite my game.”

“There are players around the world who can hit sixes at will — and I am not one of those — for me it’s about playing proper cricket shots, hitting the gaps, manipulating the field.”

Smith, who lost the Australian captaincy when he was banned for his part in the 2018 sandpaper gate scandal, played down his prospects of resuming leadership duties.

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He said he was focused on supporting Test captain Tim Paine and limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch, but did not completely rule out his future chances.

“I haven’t given a great deal of thought to it, it’s just about doing my job at the moment and we’ll see what the future holds,” he said.

India will play three one-dayers, three Twenty20 matches and four Tests against Australia during the tour down under.