A buoyant Steve Smith has proudly announced his superb one-day innings for Australia was the best he has felt batting in six years.
The bold claim from one of the country's greatest batters will strike fear into West Indies and South Africa ahead of the Australian Test summer.
Smith belted an unbeaten 80 from 78 balls at Adelaide Oval on Thursday to help Australia secure a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against world champions England.
"(It) was probably the best I've felt in about six years," Smith told reporters.
"I was just in really nice positions and I felt really good, I honestly haven't felt that way in six years or so.
"It's been nice to score some runs in that time and we're always looking for perfection, and for me (Thursday) was close to perfection as I will get."
The 33-year-old credits a year-long process to help rediscover his best stance and technique.
Smith was left out of all but one game during the recent Twenty20 World Cup campaign and his white-ball future for Australia has come under question.
For his lofty standards, the skilful right-hander has also experienced a lean period in the Test arena with just two centuries since the 2019 Ashes.
"I've been working on a few things, it's almost been a six-month or 12-month process," Smith said.
"The start of last summer, I tried to get my hands back to where they were in 2015.
"I feel like I'm staying a bit more side-on now and I've got my feet and hands in sync together.
"(Thursday) was probably the first time I've actually had extended time in the middle with that change.
"It's hard to base something on one innings but it felt as though things clicked for me like they did at the WACA (in a Test against England) in 2013.
"Hopefully it's the start of a big summer."
Smith is averaging 60 from 87 Tests with 28 centuries ahead of a jam-packed 12 months for Australian cricket.
After two Tests against West Indies and a three-match series with South Africa, Australia will head to India in February to battle for the Border-Gavaskar trophy, before attempting to retain the Ashes in England in June.
