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David Warner, Steven Smith’s consistency across all formats is a benchmark, says Glenn Maxwell

Steven Smith was the top scorer of Ashes 2015 with 508 runs from five games.

Steven Smith was the top scorer of Ashes 2015 with 508 runs from five games © Getty Images
Steven Smith was the top scorer of Ashes 2015 with 508 runs from five games © Getty Images

Glenn Maxwell suggested that teammates Steven Smith and David Warner’s consistency in all the formats of the game manifests that Twenty20 cricket is not shortening the life of Test cricket. Maxwell, who is currently in Southampton with the Australian squad preparing for Thursday night’s opening One Day International (ODI) against England, said that regardless of the increasing prevalence of the limited-overs versions of the sport, the best players were still capable of rising to the top in all three formats. The sides will play five ODIs before Australia’s long tour of England ends that had commenced back in July. READ: England vs Australia 2015, 1st ODI at Southampton Preview

According to a report from Cricket Australia, Maxwell said, “David Warner and Steve Smith have been extremely successful in all three formats and they’re guys that do rake in the big deals in the shorter formats. They’re able to adjust through the gears. Steve Smith is the No.1 (Test) batter in the world at the moment but also an unbelievable T20 player.”

Smith, who was the top scorer of the Ashes 2015 with 508 runs to his name from five games, justified Maxwell’s point when the former smashed an incredible 53-ball 90 in the one-off T20 against the hosts on his T20 international captaincy debut. Until the skipper was out in the middle, Australians had hopes of a victory but with his dismissal, the visitors witnessed yet another batting collapse. READ: Steve Waugh backs Ricky Ponting’s no toss in Tests idea

Certain guys have got to decide what they want to achieve in what format and how they’re going to make their careers as long as possible. Whether that’s deciding you’re going to play as much T20 cricket around the world as you can, or if you really want to play Test cricket and go further in that. I think if you’re a good enough cricketer to play for Australia in any format, I think you should be trying to push for all three,” Maxwell added.

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