Skipper Tim Paine says one will get to see the very best of Steve Smith in Brisbane Test

Australian Test skipper Tim Paine has said that batting mainstay Steve Smith feeds off criticism and one can expect to see the batsman at his very best in the series-deciding fourth and final Test match at the Gabba, Brisbane that gets underway on Friday.

The elegant number three batsman has been in the news for the wrong reasons after he was caught on stump camera while scratching up Pant's guard during the drinks break in the first session of play on Day 5 of the third Test match. After the incident came to light, several reactions poured in as fans, as well as, former cricketers slammed the second-ranked Test batsman for his antics.

'Steve Smith is in a good frame of mind': Tim Paine

"Steve Smith is in a good frame of mind, we have seen what he has gone through in the last three years, he is mentally very strong and he knows that he will be criticised at some times. He has handled it very well ever since he has come back. If anything, he feeds off the criticism, his statistics speak for themselves, we will see the best of Steve Smith this week," said Paine while replying to an ANI query during a virtual press conference.

READ: Vikram Rathour Says Rishabh Pant Was Unaware Of The Infamous Pitch Scuffing Incident

Steve Smith in 2020/21 Test series

Steven Smith was the top-ranked batsman in red-ball cricket prior to the four-match home Test series against India. However, with scores of 1, 1, 0 & 8 in four innings meant that the elegant number three batsman dropped down to the third spot with 877 points.

However, 'Smudge' staged a brilliant comeback in the previous Test at the SCG with scores of  131 and 81 respectively in both innings of the contest as a result of which the 2015 World Cup winner succeeded in edging past the Indian skipper as well as his long-time batting rival Virat Kohli in the latest ICC Test Rankings for batsmen.

READ: Vikram Rathour Says Team India Not Affected By Off-field Incidents Ahead Of 4th Test

Smith now occupies the second spot with 900 rating points while Kohli, who had left the series midway after being granted paternity leave by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now dropped down to the third position with 870 points.  New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has retained the 'Numero Uno' spot with 919 points in his tally. 

The New South Wales cricketer would now be hoping to make his bat do the talking in the high-voltage decider at the Gabba as he not only hopes to get closer to Williamson but also helping Australia in winning the iconic Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time after it had changed hands in the 2016/17 season. 

READ: Josh Hazlewood Brushes Off India's SCG Rearguard, Claims Australia Start As 'favourites'