NEWS
Follow UsJamie Smith shattered the English wicket-keeping records this summer after he debuted for the Three Lions in the first Test of the three-match series against the West Indies. However, for the Surrey lad, it is not about taking his role in the English team too seriously. He would rather have a free mind to work around than become engrossed in his job.
“I don’t like to take it too seriously,” Smith was quoted as saying to The Guardian after the end of the Test series against Sri Lanka which England won 2-1.
“I know it does mean a lot to play for England but you can get carried away in that moment where you think it’s do or die. It’s a fantastic stage to be on and I don’t think you can let that weigh on you,” Smith backed his stance.
The 24-year-old, who sustained himself in the competitive rigours of English domestic structure for 59 first-class games before finally getting the break in June this year, praised the dressing room environment created by coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
“The way Baz [Brendon McCullum] and Stokesy have set it up means you can come in and be yourself and that helps. You can see how many people have come into the side and hit the ground running,” he said.
Smith was one of the finds of the summer for the English side as he amassed 487 runs in 10 innings of his first six Tests in his career. This is the second-highest number of runs by a wicket-keeper batter in his first six Tests. He is only behind yesteryear’s England great Les Ames, who scored 571 runs in 11 innings of his first six Tests.
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