Veteran Steve Smith 'pumped' ahead of Australia's busy Test schedule

The 37-year-old has retired from both white-ball formats at the highest level but will still play a key role for Australia as they start a run of 20 Test matches in the next 12 months.

Smith is locked in at number 4 in Australia's Test line-up and has in the past left people on tenterhooks about his future, often stating it's a series-by-series approach.

Bailey said: "I don't think I've seen him as excited or invigorated around the opportunities and challenges in particular this Test team have over the next period of time.

"He's probably not on his lonesome there. I think for a number of those guys that have played a lot of Test cricket, and are at certain stages of their career, you look at some of the series that are coming up and what the opportunities are for this Test team to achieve, it probably comes as no surprise as to how excited and focused they are.

"I've actually been really quite excited by how pumped Steve is, how much thought and time he's putting into what's coming up.

"So, yeah, I fully expect him to be a major part of it⦠there's some really big key series, a chance I think for this team to really lay down a marker across a number of different conditions as well. I think that's exciting for everyone but, yeah, in particular for him."

Australia's first Test against Bangladesh starts in Darwin on 13 August with the second and final game of the series beginning on 22 August in Mackay.

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