Perth, Nov 20 Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith has identified England captain Ben Stokes as the “man to keep quiet” as his side gears up for the opening Test of the Ashes at Perth Stadium on Friday. With regular skipper Pat Cummins injured, Smith will lead Australia for the 41st time in Test cricket and is acutely aware of the threat England’s talisman poses.
“He (Stokes) has done a terrific job with England over the last couple of years,” Smith said on the eve of the first Test. “Potentially, he’s someone who you don't want to get riled up. He has had a few performances against us where he's either taken the game away from us or pulled it back (for England). He's a quality performer, whether it's bat, ball, or in the field. He's always in the game, giving his 110%. Hopefully, we can keep him quiet.”
England enter the series with growing confidence under the Stokes-Brendon McCullum leadership, known for its aggressive cricketing philosophy. Smith acknowledged the challenges of countering England’s high-tempo approach.
"I think it's just playing the tempo of the game that needs to be played at each certain time," he said. "I've no doubt throughout this series, there's going to be periods of the game where a few of their batters get off and they score some runs quickly. And for us, it might be about being a little bit defensive in those moments. And then finding the moments where we can attack a bit more and just playing the game, really, that's in front of us, and not letting it drift too far.”
Australia will also hand debuts to Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett in the series opener, with Weatherald set to partner Usman Khawaja at the top. Smith said the 31-year-old left-hander has earned his Baggy Green through outstanding domestic form.
“I watched him bat in the nets pretty closely the last few days. They are pretty tricky nets – fast, bouncy, and a lot of seam,” Smith noted. “The guys were charging in and bowling really fast (in the nets). He took it on and got in really good positions… He has been selected for his performances in the last 18 months in particular. He has batted exceptionally well at the top of the order for Tasmania, and hopefully he can bring that to the Test arena.”
“I'm really excited for him, and he has worked hard for a long period of time, and he is going to complement Usman Khawaja pretty well up top,” he added.
Australia have won four of their five Tests at the Perth Stadium but suffered a defeat to India in their last appearance. Smith believes conditions will be favourable but insists adaptability will be crucial.
“It looks like a good wicket. Looks pretty similar to last summer. It's going to have some decent pace and bounce in it. It's probably not as hot as it was last year, so potentially may not crack up as much as it did,” he said.
“We have got to adapt quickly to try and find the top of the stumps as early as possible. But these guys (our bowlers) are quality bowlers and I hope we do that,” said Smith.
With sold-out crowds for the opening three days, Smith said the anticipation around the series adds to the excitement. “I think it's a great venue. I'm super excited that the first three days are sold out. This series has been on people's radar for a long time. I think it's a nice place to start the summer.”
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