Steve Smith looking forward to tackle the Indian pacers in the Test series against India

India and Australia are all set to lock horns against each other in the highly-anticipated four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy, starting from December 17 in Adelaide. The former Australian captain and one of the mainstays of the their batting line-up Steve Smith is charged up for the Test series and is looking forward to facing the Indian pace attack on the match field.

Ahead of the encounter, Smith challenged the Indian pacers to bring on the short bowling as that is the only prominent way to get his wicket. The Indian pace attack that includes the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma will have to strive hard if India wants to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

They had won a Test series for the first time on the Australian soil in 2018-19 and a lot of credit for that goes to the the three bowlers who thrashed the opposition and collectively bagged a total of 51 wickets in the four matches with Australia getting bowled out 7 times out of 8 during the series.

I’ve faced a lot of short bowling in my life, says Steve Smith

During the home series against New Zealand in 2019-20 season, the Australian top-order had struggled against the pacer Neil Wagner’s short bowling. Wagner had picked the wicket of Steve Smith, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne. Wagner had bowled a barrage of bouncers and Steve Smith, in particular, looked uncomfortable and was dismissed four times by the left-arm pacer.

Speaking about his struggle against short bowling and the upcoming Test series against India, Smith told News Corp, “It’s no drama for me. I just play the game and sum up the conditions, how they’re trying to get me out and being able to counter that. I mean, a few different oppositions have tried it and they’ve certainly found it more difficult to [execute it] the way Wagner did. He’s got an amazing skill set where his speeds go up and down…everything is between your ribs and your head.

“If teams are trying to get me out like that it’s probably a big benefit for the team because it takes a lot out of people’s bodies if you continually bowl short. I’ve faced a lot of short bowling in my life and I haven’t had too many stresses with it. I suppose we’ll just wait and see,” he added.