'India is a part of the world I love captaining. It's a game of chess, every ball means something'
'It's good fun moving people and trying to make the batter think and something different and just playing games with them'
Steve Smith knows how difficult it is to win a Test in India so Australia's stand-in captain was thrilled to bits after guiding his team to a nine-wicket victory in the third Test in Indore on Friday.
Outplayed in Nagpur and Delhi, Australia bounced back in the four-Test series with a comprehensive victory well inside three days of the spin-dominated low-scoring contest.
Leading the side as regular skipper Pat Cummins flew home to be with his ailing mother, Smith marshalled his bowlers well and took a stunning catch to dismiss Cheteshwar Pujara whose second innings 59 was the only half-century by an Indian in the low-scoring match.
"They are pretty hard to come by," Smith told reporters, referring to wins in India, after only the second Australia has notched up in their last 18 attempts.
"For us to get on top in this game, particularly after losing the toss ... it shows the talent in this group and the belief we've got in ourselves."
Australia fought tooth and nail in Delhi only to be thwarted by India's lower order, who set up India's six-wicket victory.
"We screwed up, I suppose, in Delhi is one way to put it," Smith said.
"We had an opportunity there and let that slip, but we had a good break and a good preparation coming here and it was just about getting our mental state right."
Smith captained Australia during the 2014-2018 period but was stripped of the role following a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
"We are pleased to have qualified for the final of the World Test Championship, which has obviously been on our radar for a little while. To tick that off is worth celebrating for this team," said Smith after Australia won their first Test in India in six years.
Smith is among the shrewdest thinkers of the game and that shows in his decision making on the field. In Cummins' absence, Smith said he has done his bit and relished the responsibility.
Smith captained Australia during the 2014-2018 period but was stripped of the role following a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.
"No, my time is done. It's Paddy's (Pat Cummins) team now. I'm glad I'm able to stand in this week in the circumstances obviously with Paddy going home. Our thoughts are still with him back home as well."
"Look, India is a part of the world I love captaining. It's a game of chess, every ball means something. It's good fun moving people and trying to make the batter think and something different and just playing games with them. It's probably my favourite place in the world to captain."
Captaining back home is much easier, he said.
"You think back home in Australia, you generally play with a third slip or putting a square leg up or back or pulling a third slip to cover... there's not much that goes on, you sort of stick to the same game plan and trust what you are trying to do there."
"In this part of the world, you have to be very proactive. Every ball is an event and that ball can dictate what happens the ball after. Something that I really love. I thought I did it well this week and it was good fun," he said.
