Former India captain Virat Kohli has lavished rich praise on Australia vice-captain Steve Smith and called him the 'best Test player of this generation' ahead of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC 2023) final between the two sides.
India and Australia will clash in the final at the Oval in London which begins on June 7, 2023. Australia had finished at the top of the table in the current WTC cycle and is considered heavyweights in the clash against India due to their star-studded bowling lineup.
Notably, the last time Australia played a neutral Test in England was in 2010 and Steve Smith had made his Test debut then against Pakistan at Lord’s.
Ahead of the showcase match, Kohli showered praise on Smith's batting abilities, calling him the “best” in the current generation. The 34-year-old India star also added that Smith's consistency with the bat is unmatchable among his peers, which includes Kohli himself.
“Steve Smith, according to me, is the best Test player of this generation. He has displayed that his adaptability is brilliant. You take any cricketer of this generation... in 85-90 Tests, he has an average of 60 which is quite unbelievable. The consistency and impact with which he scores runs, I haven't seen anyone else doing that in the last 10 years. Definitely, Steve Smith, along with Marnus Labuschagne, are their main players in the batting order because they control their batting lineup,” Kohli told Star Sports.
The legendary Indian batsman also said that Smith has consistently performed in England, and it's crucial for the Indian bowlers to not let him settle on the crease.
“Smith has always done well against us and he has performed in England. You want to dismiss him as soon as possible because he can have a match-winning impact,” Kohli added.
Smith had been in playing in England since last month, as he joined India's Cheteshwar Pujara at County side Sussex. Following the WTC Final, Smith will be seen in action at the Ashes, which begins in England on June 16.
