The coming of age of Steve Smith

ADELAIDE: Steve Smith has an ordinary name, but he may already be shaping up to carve an extraordinary career. Underneath that disarming smile lies a steely resolve which is only now coming into focus. The fidgety demeanour of his early years is being replaced by calm.
Smith notched up his fifth Test ton on Wednesday but it is in the World Cup arena a few months later that he may prove a potent weapon for Australia in the middle-order.The kind of form he is in, the formats may cease to matter.
In seven Tests since the beginning of the year, Smith averages 72.70 with three tons, against England in Sydney, South Africa in Centurion and now India in Adelaide.
In One-dayers, where he bats higher up, his two centuries during this period have come at No. 3 and No. 4. He averages 49.18 from 12 games, a formidable way to state his case after a four-year head start in international cricket. And yes, there are hushed whispers of him being strong captaincy material.
"I am happy at No. 5 at the moment. It's working well for me," he said. "I like batting as high as possible. I like batting at No. 3 and No. 4 in One day cricket. If I get a chance to move up the order that will be great as well." Although he admitted the Indian bowlers wilted under pressure, Smith amply showcased his ability to play in different gears on Wednesday. He credits a new-found patience for the purple patch.
"I think at the start of my career I wasn't quite as patient. That's what I have now. I probably tried to play too many shots early on and that got me in trouble. That's the way I go about my business....get my patience right, and I will be able to get the big runs. Today is a good example of that," said Smith, who is batting on 162 and has no idea when Michael Clarke will declare.
He doesn't rate this knock very highly, though, given that the Indians were so wayward with the ball and he played some crazy shots in a bid to accelerate.