Batting freak Smith admits not picking up willow after Champions Trophy exit, explains how it ‘clicked into place’

Steve Smith has gained muscle ahead of his second World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa next week, but admitted doing something contrary to his nature of being a ‘cricket freak’. Smith loves batting and shadow batting more when he’s not batting, but he did neither of them in the lead-up to this showdown clash in London starting Wednesday (June 11).

The Aussie batting giant confessed to not picking up the willow since missing that full-toss off India seamer Mohammed Shami during the 2025 Champions Trophy semis in Dubai. Smith got out bowled on 73 in that match, with India winning the contest and later claiming its record third CT title.

Meanwhile, having missed out on being picked for IPL 2025, Smith had plenty of time at hand to prepare for the next assignment; instead of trying to practice in his free time, he moved to America during this window to work on his fitness regime with a new personal trainer. Though that result is there for everyone to see, it took just one day for him to get ready for the 2025 WTC Final against the Proteas.

"I'd normally have a bat laying around the house somewhere and just pick it up and do a bit of shadow batting and stuff," Smith said on the sidelines of Australia’s training session in Beckenham, UK.

"But I made a conscious decision to try and just let it go for a while. It was good.

"I hadn't hit a ball since I missed a full toss off Mohammed Shami in the Champions Trophy. Fortunately, everything sort of clicked into place immediately. I feel like I'm moving really well, I feel strong and just ready to get into it now.

"Normally, how it works is my first hit's good, my second hit's awful, and then I'd get better from there. But both hits were just really good, and I was like, hopefully, it doesn't turn around now, and I don't have to spend hours in the nets the next couple of days,” Smith continued.

On his form leading into the WTC Final

Following his century at the Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes, Smith went 23 innings without scoring another one, his longest wait for a Test ton in his career. He, however, ended it with the one against India during the Gabba Test late last year before notching up another at the MCG. Even against Sri Lanka on Australia’s last away tour, Smith racked up two centuries in as many Tests, returning to his best.

However, ahead of the crucial WTC Final against the Proteas, Smith hopes to continue from where he left off in Sri Lanka.

"I feel like I've been in the team for a while, and I haven't felt under a great deal of pressure," he said.

"Maybe a little bit after Adelaide last year was the most I've felt. And maybe [that's] why I came out the next game and was really, really hungry to get a good score in Brisbane. But that was external talk, and things cross my desk all the time. People send me things that people are saying. So I don't know, maybe something clicked in me, and I wanted to get back to the position of being a bit more comfortable again,” he added.