Former Australian cricketer Michael Bevan feels Steve Smith will need to take a leaf out of Virat Kohli’s book if the five-time champion hopes to beat India in the World Cup final on Sunday.
Speaking at the jersey launch of the Southern Superstars, the new team joining the Legends League Cricket 2023, Bevan said, “For Australia to win, Steve Smith has to score big. He has the skills and temperament to bat through the middle overs. He is very good against the spinners. If he bats till the 35th or 40th over, that’s when Australia has a real chance.
“They have players who can get quick runs at the start and end, but are missing the flexibility and rotational ability in the middle overs. Smith has had starts but hasn’t batted long enough. Much like what Kohli has done for India, if Smith can do for Australia in the final, their chances of winning increases dramatically,” added the 53-year-old, who will be the coach of Superstars.
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Commenting on the final, the former left-handed batter felt India was the firm favourite and could replicate Australia’s dominant run in the 2003 and 2007 editions when it won without losing a game.
“I think India is the favourite to win at this point and there is no reason to think why it wouldn’t happen. No team has given them a run for their money in the World Cup.
“Very few teams have produced enough pressure on India to get them to the point where they might lose the match. They have been completely dominant, similar to what we were in the 2003 World Cup and in 1999 when we won seven matches in a row. India appears to be on track to do that,” said Bevan.
Bevan also felt Australia had yet to play well as a team “They are keeping the matches close and on a knife’s edge. They have had two or three players who have been amazing in every match. Meanwhile, India has had four, five or six players who have been amazing and that is the difference.”
