Smith may have booked new Test spot

Australia captain Michael Clarke has indicated that Steve Smith’s smooth transition to the No.3 role in the one-day team could well pave the way for the same shift in the Test team.

In four innings since what is increasingly looking like his permanent promotion to first drop, Smith has made scores of 95, 72, 65 and 105, having arrived in the middle with the total at 20 or below on each of those occasions.

That run of form, combined with a golden Test summer in which he smashes all sorts of records in compiling 769 runs in four matches against India, mounts a serious case for the New South Welshman to make the same move up the order in the five-day game.

Steve Smith has notched his first World Cup century, capping off what has been a remarkable six months for the 25-year-old

“I can’t speak highly enough for the way he’s batting at the moment,” said Clarke post-match.

“He’s showing his class.

“But most importantly, the one thing I’ve learnt throughout my career is getting into good form and scoring runs is a fantastic feeling, but still to go to training the next day to work on your game to try to become better is one of the hardest things to do in this game.

“That’s what makes you a great player.

“That’s what I’ve been really proud with Smithy – he’s still training extremely hard, he’s still getting there early, still doing the work even though he’s batting so well. I can’t say I’m surprised he’s getting the results he’s getting. He’s earned it.

“He’s standing up and he’s made the most of the opportunity he’s got at No.3 in one-day cricket.

“He was ready for it, he’s been ready for it for a while.

“It was just about getting that chance, and Test cricket’s no different – he’s ready for that (role) as well if he gets the opportunity.”

Australia captain Michael Clarke says the work Steve Smith puts in at training, behind the scenes and out in the middle is the reason why he's had such success at No.3

Smith is yet to bat in the pivotal No.3 role in his 26-Test career but given the problematic nature of the position for Darren Lehmann’s side, he looms as a man capable of filling the sizeable void left by Ricky Ponting after the Tasmanian moved down to No.4 in the closing stages of his time in Baggy Green.

Since, Australia have experimented with 10 batsmen (plus nightwatchman Nathan Lyon and pinch hitter James Faulkner) in the position, with Shane Watson coming in one wicket down on 19 occasions – the most of anyone from a total of 66 innings.

Watson, 33, is also the incumbent No.3, having been shuffled throughout the order during a decade-long Test career without ever truly nailing down one position, and Clarke’s comments indicate that Smith’s rise up the order could be expedited with an eye to the Caribbean tour in June and the Ashes immediately beyond that.

Clarke also reiterated Smith’s importance to the long-term health of Australia’s batting order.

“There’s no doubt there’s a long way for him to go in his career,” he said. “There’s a lot more runs for him to score, but he’s certainly leading the way at the moment.”

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Steve Smith hits a boundary against India // Getty Images

Smith put his outstanding form simply down to routine.

“Preparation’s been key,” he explained. “I’m doing the same thing over and over again and trying to start my innings the same every time, and hopefully it continues to do that on Sunday.”

The in-form batsman was more detailed earlier this week, when he explained how a shift in his batting stance had also aided his performance.

“I just felt like I was out of sync a little bit with a few of my movements,” he said.

“I watched a little bit of footage of my batting in the summer in the Tests and I was actually starting to go a little further outside leg and for some reason I forgot about it, and I went back to leg stump and started moving across a little bit too far.

“I've got it back to where I want it now and it really feels good.

“I ask for leg stump (guard) and then I just pull it this way (leg side) a little bit, so there is a mark in the middle of nowhere out there.”

True to his word, Smith was noticeably outside leg stump upon facing up during his superb hundred against India last night, before taking a significant step across the stumps at the point of delivery.