Smith has rarely, if ever, doubted his own talent but even he was aware that his spell at the top of the order was proving unpopular.
The Australia team has come in for criticism from former players over various issues including their approach and selection.
Rookie Australia opener Nathan McSweeney admitted feeling "devastated" after being dropped for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, but vowed to work hard to reclaim his spot in the national team.
'If we can put that new ball in the right areas and get a couple of wickets with that new ball, it can really turn quickly.'
Former coach Ravi Shastri has backed India to win the Boxing Day Test, saying the visitors have exploited Australia's "brittle" top order to have their "nose ahead" in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
India will be under tremendous pressure when they face an equally circumspect Australia in a battle of two out-of-form batting units in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth
Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar picked Australia's batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne as the player who most reminds him of himself, calling the fast-rising batsman a special talent with impeccable footwork. The 25-year-old Labuschagne became Test cricket's leading scorer in the calendar year 2019 with 1,104 runs. He broke into the scene after coming in as a concussion substitute for Steve Smith during the Ashes last August.
He felt Australia will get better as the series progresses.
Stoinis lost his spot in Australia's ODI team to Marnus Labuschagne during the World Cup in India
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon termed Indian players as superstars' while hoping to revive his on-field rivalry with India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Uncapped McSweeney to open with Khawaja in India series
Labuschagne has admitted that being overlooked at the IPL auction turned out to be 'blessing in disguise'
Following David Warner's retirement from Tests, Steve Smith opened the batting for Australia in series against West Indies and New Zealand.
Australia are already without another regular all-rounder in Cameron Green, who was ruled out of the India series after opting to have surgery on a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
The opening day drew more than 50,000 fans making it the fourth highest attendance ever for a day of Test cricket at the Adelaide Oval.
With 539 scalps in 134 matches at an average of 30.39 and best figures of 5/39, Lyon is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Tests and has 24 five-wicket hauls and five ten-wicket hauls.
David Warner slogged his way to his third double-hundred from 254 balls before succumbing to cramps and limping off with the aid of a trainer.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between Australia and India, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Saturday.
Australia's Marnus Labuschagne is bracing for "heaps and heaps of cricket" once the coronavirus pandemic subsides, the prolific top order batsman said on Saturday. The global health crisis has halted international sports, postponing several bilateral cricket series and jeopardising this year's Twenty20 World Cup scheduled in October-November in Australia.
The three-match ODI series between Australia and West Indies will start from February 2 till February 6 in Brisbane, Sydney, and Canberra respectively.
Steve Smith was struck by a Jofra Archer bouncer in the first innings at Lords and was replaced by 'concussion sub' Marnus Labuschagne for the second innings.
India will be hoping to repeat their success of two years ago when they registered their first-ever Test series win in Australia, while the hosts would be keen to avenge that loss.
Ravichandran Ashwin is fast closing in on the No 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings for bowlers.
Michael Clarke feels the Australian selectors have erred by dropping Nathan McSweeney mid-series against India
Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique made a solid start to set up a thrilling final day in the deciding third Test
They will meet the winner of Wednesday's second semi-final between South Africa and New Zealand in the final in Dubai on Sunday.
ODIs will remain relevant because World Cup is Olympics of cricket: Steve Waugh
Virat Kohli's struggles against balls outside the off-stump in the ongoing Test series against Australia has the great Allan Border wondering if the Indian superstar has "just lost that edge".
India would be pressing for a decisive first-innings lead in the contest when play resumes on Friday.
Smith took a leaf out of Hussey's book and did not train on the day before the Adelaide Test, hoping to be fresh for a big score.
The entire Australian top-order that is feeling the "pressure" despite the series-levelling win in Adelaide
Mohammed Siraj's hot temper has become a topic of discussion but Australian quick Josh Hazlewood says the Indian pacer is a 'good character' who fires up the crowd.
Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith struck half-centuries as Australia beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in a thrilling finish to the rain-affected first One-Day International on Tuesday for a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Both teams have struggled in the ODI format recently. World champions Australia lost to Sri Lanka (0-2) and Pakistan (1-2) in their last two series, while England, now coached by Brendon McCullum in all formats, haven't won an ODI series since their disastrous 2023 World Cup campaign.
IMAGES from Day 3 of the WTC Final between Australia and India, played at The Oval, in London, on Friday.
With noses bloodied and pride stung from the pounding in Perth, Australia will look to hit back with the pink ball in the second Test against India at Adelaide Oval.
Usman Khawaja smashed the first century by an Australia batter in the current series against India to steer the tourists to 255/4 after the opening day of the fourth and final Test.
Steve Smith scored an unbeaten 85 to guide Australia to 339/5 as England wasted favourable bowling conditions on the first day of the second Ashes Test.
After the game, Mhambrey pointed out the contrast in the batting conditions in both innings and said in a video posted by Olympics.com.
Ravichandran Ashwin tore through Australia in their second innings to set up a comprehensive victory for India by an innings and 132 runs inside three days of the spin-dominated opening Test.
