Australia vs England: Steve Smith versus Joe Root will add to the lore of the Ashes

Australia was down to 76-4 chasing a reasonable English score of 302 in the first innings with Anderson and Broad bowling full tilt, the all important first Ashes test had just about started to go out of control for Australia a few seasons earlier. Come in Steve Smith, who is now once again back as captain in the absence of Pat Cummins. What happened thereafter is already part of the Baggy Green archives of excellence. Patience, passion and pride, Smith played the most telling innings of his captaincy career at the Gabbatoir. His celebrations on reaching the century was more from sense of release- he had settled the debate over who is Australia’s best Test batsman.

Joe Root, then captain of England, had thrown everything he possibly could at Smith. Attacked him with the second new ball, tried Moeen Ali, went round the wicket, spread the field deep to get him off strike and yet Smith never lost focus. He was on a mission and it was largely his first innings effort that made sure Australia went to Perth one up in the five Test series.

When I had once asked him what the Ashes meant to him, he had included an Ashes series win as captain as his utmost priority. “Winning the Ashes, both at home and away and beating India in India are the two things I want to accomplish”, he had said.

For someone who started as a legspin bowler to transform himself into a top order bat and then to become the world's best has been an extraordinary journey. Smith, however, doesn't bother with such labels. The only thing of relevance to him is the impact he can have on the game.

This Ashes could well be a story of Steve Smith and Joe Root. Two supreme gladiators who are at the peak of their powers, these are men who have the ability to draw sizeable crowds to cricket grounds keeping Test cricket alive. While Smith has performed across the world, India included, Root does have to score that elusive hundred in Australia to keep the comparison relevant.

From the Ashes perspective, Smith leading from the front will make a massive difference for Australia in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood. As is known from experience, a captain leading from the front is always a huge advantage for the team. We have seen this with Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke for Australia in 2006-7 and 2013-14 and with Alastair Cook for England against India in 2012. Sourav Ganguly’s 144 at the Gabba in 2003-4 is part of India’s cricket lore. Can Stokes do a Ganguly in Perth or will Smith continue to dominate could well decide the Ashes? With the rest of the Australian batting looking good, it will take a die-hard England fan to bet against Steve Smith and his team in home conditions despite them being key personnel in Cummins and Hazlewood.

What is fascinating is the interest in India. Despite India playing a huge Test match against South Africa in Guwahati tomorrow, there is a lot of buzz around the Ashes. That’s what it is all about in a global world. Barriers of temporality have broken down and consumption patterns have changed. Each one of us will follow the Ashes and do so with serious interest.