How innovative tweak in batting stance proved to be catalyst behind Steve Smith's resurgence

Steve Smith's innovative tweak in his batting stance has proven to be the catalyst behind his resurgence in the ongoing World Cup. The Australian cricket star, who had been grappling with a minor slump in form, rebounded spectacularly during a match against Netherlands, smashing a resilient 71 off 68 balls and contributing to a formidable 132-run partnership with David Warner, who secured a remarkable century. This dynamic duo's performance laid the groundwork for Australia's imposing total of 399/8 in Delhi.

3 things you need to know

• Steve Smith ended his slump in form with a resilient 71 
• This was Smith's first fifty in the ongoing World Cup 2023 
• Smith forged a 132-run partnership with David Warner

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Steve Smith's adjustments during practice session

Smith attributed his successful return to form to some subtle adjustments made during practice sessions. "I moved back to leg stump a little bit. I got my hands a little bit higher than what they've been for the last week. For some reason, they've dropped down a bit. I just felt it in the nets and everything sort of clicked back into place again," Smith said during a mixed-zone interaction after Australia beat Netherlands by a record 309 runs.

The 34-year-old batter candidly acknowledged his temporary loss of form during the tournament, noting, "I felt like I was batting well a couple of weeks back against India. I thought I was actually getting back through the ball nicely on a pretty tough surface and playing well and then for a week kind of lost it for a bit."

Smith's tournament began with a promising 46 against India but was followed by three low scores, including 19, 0, and 7. He attributed these early setbacks to facing challenging deliveries but expressed his belief in his abilities, saying, "I got a couple of nice balls, I suppose the one that swung back and got me out, and Rabada's, which was a little questionable. I felt like I've been batting really well. I just needed to get the feel again."

The Australian batter appeared well on his way to securing a century before being dismissed for 71 by a brilliant catch from Roelof van der Merwe at backward point. Despite missing out on the three-figure mark, Smith was content with his performance, stating, "It would have been nice to kick on for a little bit longer and have a bit of fun, but yeah, it was a nice platform that we were able to set."

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India and South Africa playing good cricket: Smith 

Looking ahead at the World Cup, Smith acknowledged the strengths of both India and South Africa, currently positioned at No.1 and No.2 in the points table respectively. He noted, "I think both of those sides are playing really good cricket. South Africa's batting is structured similarly to what we did in this sort of game, trusting their top five batters to build a platform and relying on players like Klassen and Miller to deliver at the back end."

Australia's Glenn Maxwell was another standout performer, smashing the fastest ODI World Cup century in just 40 balls during the match against Netherlands. Smith applauded Maxwell's incredible achievement and remarkable shots, emphasising that he has long been capable of such performances.

"Incredible, wasn't it? Some seriously good shots there," Smith said. "We have seen Maxi (Maxwell) play for some time and now he's capable of that kind of things. Some of those shots were extraordinary, so tremendous to watch. It was a pretty incredible effort."

The 2023 World Cup has witnessed several high-scoring matches, with six totals of 350 or more runs posted, led by South Africa. Smith attributed these high scores to the conditions and the nature of the pitches being used in the tournament. "It's always wicket-dependent," he said. "We have to assess the conditions."

Australia is scheduled to face New Zealand in their next match on October 28, and Smith and his team will aim to maintain their momentum in the tournament as they compete for World Cup glory.