AUS v IND 2020-21: WATCH - Steve Smith reveals how change in grip helped him found his mojo back

Smith made two outstanding ODI hundreds against India after struggling for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2020.

Australia's batting maestro Steve Smith revealed that the excellent form and rhythm he has refound at the start of the home summer against India is down to a slight change in his grip. He said he himself is "fascinated" by the results which the slight tweak has brought about. 

Before the start of the ODI series, Smith said he has "found my hands" back, in reference to the flow he was enjoying again in the nets. This was a comment made after a disappointing run in IPL 2020 in UAE while captaining Rajasthan Royals (RR). 

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However, once back to the highest level, Smith played two of his best one-day knocks at the SCG, scoring hundreds in the first two games against India and playing a major role in hosts' 2-1 series win. 

"I'm fascinated by it too," Smith told Fox Cricket while replying to a query around the "found my hands" comment. "I guess over the years I have had a couple of different grips. When I was batting my best back in 2014 and 2015 World Cup my top hand was probably straight down the middle of the back of the bat."

"In the last couple of years I have sort of gone a bit more round here (to the side) and then this one (bottom hand) underneath."

Smith explained he has brought his hands back to a more balanced position on the bat grip and is connecting the ball properly rather than slicing it. 

"That (grip) in particular pushes up against this part of my hand, so it stops the bat. It has helped me stop slicing the ball. I feel like I was slicing the ball and wasn't meeting the ball where I needed to," he said.

"When my hand is round like this there is nothing it sort of locks onto, so it keeps going through."

"So this grip just keeps it locked in and I'm able to hit particularly wide of mid-off and straight down the ground. I know when I do that really well that something has clicked into place."

Asked when exactly did he identify the issue, Smith said, "It was just one net session during our quarantine about three days before the first game (played at the SCG on 27 November) where I just started doing that again."

"I went back and looked at a lot of footage from 2014 and 2015 and I tried it and everything just clicked into place and it felt good, so hopefully it can continue to feel good," he signed off. 

(Inputs from PTI)