Write him off at your peril: Waugh backs Smith

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has warned England's players and fans against thinking Steve Smith will be a diminished force in the upcoming Ashes series because of his extended absence from Test cricket.

Waugh, who remains the most recent Australia skipper to lead an Ashes-winning tour to the UK given his team triumphed in 2001, has spent the past two weeks with the current squad in his formal role as player mentor.

When he first arrived in England prior to the recent World Cup, he indicated that Smith was still adjusting to his new place within the men's team having returned to international cricket after his 12-month ban.

But now that he's spent some time in and around the touring party, Waugh has revealed how impressed he's been with Smith's typically immaculate preparation and the hunger that the ex-captain has shown to succeed in the coming five-Test campaign.

"The thing I know about Steve Smith is he always finds a way," Waugh told reporters at Edgbaston where Australia conducted their main pre-Test training session amid bright sunshine on Monday.

Image Id: E358BB6A3D8F43F4A5D1CE848C09EB41 Image Caption: Steve Waugh has been a valued addition to Australia's pre-Ashes training // Getty

"If someone's going to write him off, or say he's not what he used to be, they do that at their peril because he's a guy that finds a way.

"His training and his work ethic is exceptional, I've never seen a guy hit as many balls.

"He'll be thoroughly prepared for the first Test match."

Waugh acknowledged that Smith, along with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft who have also been sidelined from Test cricket since last year's Cape Town controversy, will be challenged when they return to the elite form of the game.

However, he does not believe the expected taunting from crowds at Edgbaston and other subsequent Ashes Test venues will have any significant impact on the trio's performance if and when they are reunited in the same starting XI.

Smith and Warner were on the receiving end of sustained heckling from crowds during the World Cup while Bancroft, who is in the frame to return to the top of Australia's batting order, is yet to experience the ferocity of a hostile full-house given he's not played international cricket since his suspension was served.

But Waugh, who witnessed first-hand the partisan hectoring that his champion leg spinner Shane Warne copped from English crowds during the pair's playing days, remains hopeful that the reaction will not be unpleasantly over-the-top.

"From my experience with English crowds, I am sure they want England to win but when opposition teams play well - and we’ve had success here - the English crowds are the best in the world," he said.

"They really appreciate good cricket, and I hope that’s going to be the case.

"There will be a small element that’s going to make it tough for our guys, but that’s professional sport and it's water off a duck’s back that sort of stuff.

"They’re ready for it and they’ve experienced it before.

"Their main focus is playing well, and once you go out in the middle, you are cocooned from all that sort of noise."

Image Id: 175236DEF02245698527E2D93A8ABB1F Image Caption: Steve Smith receives fan support during the World Cup // Getty

While Waugh has been previously involved in mentoring cricketers since retiring from the game in 2004, this is the first time he's been formally part of a touring party and engaged with a squad on daily basis.

He admitted that much has changed since he was part of two World Cup-winning teams (in 1987 and 1999) and a central figure in the eight consecutive Ashes series that Australia won between 1989 and 2002-03.

He lauded the professionalism and diligence of the current crop of players, and noted there was a buoyant feeling within the group which believes it can end an Ashes losing streak on British soil that stretches back to 2005.

And while he would not disclose the messages he's been imparting to the squad since it came together in Southampton a fortnight ago – "that's top secret mate" was his typically blunt response – he did provide an outline of the wisdom he's on-passing.

"It’s basically just knowledge, and maybe a little bit of a roadmap from throughout my career." Waugh said.

"I started playing for Australia and didn’t score a century till my 26th Test, and didn’t win a Test until my 13th Test.

"So I went from there to sort of being the number one batsman in the world, winning 16 Tests (n succession) and two World Cups.

Image Id: 9490D3C6DF77466BAFC72F062F393E55 Image Caption: Waugh celebrates his final Ashes victory in 2003 // Getty

"I’ve seen and been a part of all the negative stuff, all the tough stuff and the exciting times when we were the number one team in the world.

"It's a variety of experiences that I can pass on to all the cricketers, make them feel comfortable and relaxed and let them know it’s going to be okay if things aren’t quite working out.

"That if you do certain things, how you’ll get through it.

"So it’s passing on knowledge that I’ve acquired over the years."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

First Test: August 1-5,Edgbaston

Tour match: Australians v Worcestershire, August 7-9

Second Test: August 14-18,Lord's

Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval