Former Australia captain Steve Smith is the no.1 ranked batsman in Test cricket and by the looks of it, the time is not far when he will be close to Virat Kohli in ODIs as well, opines Gautam Gambhir.

Kohli is the no.1 ranked ODI batsman and no.2 ranked Test batsman currently, but Smith has scored two centuries in back-to-back ODIs against India in the ongoing three-match series, which Australia leads 2-0. Both of Smith’s centuries came off 62 balls, the third-fastest by any Australian in ODIs.

Gautam Gambhir has said that even though stats will always be a difference between the two, it is also the conditions and the impact of the innings that matter.

AUS v IND 2020-21: Smith looking "pretty scary" for opposition at the moment - Maxwell

"This is pure class and he isn't that far away from Virat Kohli. We keep talking about Virat Kohli, (and asking) is Virat Kohli the best ODI batsman in the world ever. Steve Smith isn't that far. Getting a hundred in 18 overs and getting two back to back hundreds in 60 balls is no joke. Yes, Virat Kohli will always have better numbers but look at the impact Steve Smith has had in the last two games,” Gambhir said to ESPNCricinfo.com.

Gambhir, former India captain himself, warned Virat Kohli’s men of Smith’s ominous form in the upcoming four-match Test series down under.

"It is going to be tough for India. I am telling you, even in the third game and probably going forward as well. This is just the start of this long tour. If India doesn't find something (about) how to get Steve Smith out, it is going to be a long, long tour for the bowlers,” he said.

"He has a huge appetite for runs and it's just the start now. Once he goes into the Test format with this kind of form, if he gets in, it's going to be troubling times for India," Gambhir signed off.

Smith has 1492 runs against India in 10 Test matches with 7 centuries and 3 half-centuries to his name overall. He averages 84.06 with his highest score being 192.