New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Australia batter Steve Smith said that he’s been training hard and trying to get stronger in his preparations for the Ashes Tests. He also revealed that his strength test results have been ‘as good as they’ve ever been.’

Smith hasn’t played competitive cricket since The Hundred in the UK, which ended in August. Since coming back from New York last week, he’s done three net sessions and will face bowlers for the first time on Tuesday to begin his preparations for the Ashes next month.

However, the 36-year-old cautioned that he was at his peak fitness in anticipation of a busy summer at home.

“I’ve been training quite hard. I’ve been doing a lot of lifting, trying to get a bit stronger. I did all my strength tests yesterday and they’re as good as they’ve ever been. I feel like I’m ready for a big summer,” Smith told reporters on Tuesday, as quoted by Fox Sports.

Smith plans to participate in two Sheffield Shield games prior to the first Test against England: next week’s match versus Queensland in Brisbane and the November game against Victoria at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The New South Welshman postponed the beginning of his summer season out of concerns about mental exhaustion, recognising that he aims to avoid overextending himself before a five-Test series. Cricket Australia backed this decision, hoping it might prolong his Test career.

“I feel like I certainly get drained mentally quicker than I probably used to. I know that when I play a lot at the start, by the end of the summer, I’m pretty cooked mentally and probably can’t produce the same performances. There’s obviously a balance, but I don’t think it takes me much now to get up to game speed. I want to try and stay as mentally fresh as possible,” he added.

–IANS

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