Steve Smith was the hero of the Ashes series who spent more than 32 hours at the crease during the Ashes. Despite missing one Test match and the second innings of the second Test at Lord’s, he helped Australia retained the urn. And Australia simply would not have successfully done it without his contribution. Smith, who scored 774 runs in the series, admitted that he was not well by the end of the series.

“It was probably a bit of everything: mental, emotional, physical,” Steve Smith was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. about the gruelling tour. “Towards the last Test match it got to day two and my mind was saying keep going but my body had shut down and wouldn’t let me do anything. I was a little bit sick after that.”

A short break of two-week has helped him get back with full strength and he believes he is ready to score again.

“I’ve had a good couple of weeks just to lay low. I just got back into things over the past week. I’ve had three hits now. That will be enough to be ready to go for this first Shield game,” Smith said.

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Australia will host Pakistan and New Zealand in November. He needs only 27 runs in Test to become the fastest batsman to 7000 runs.

“I’m not even thinking about that (captaincy) at the moment,” he said. “I was pretty chilled out the whole time (in England). I’m obviously pretty intense when I am out there batting but I help out wherever I can. I don’t want to sit back and not say something if I think it might help us. We will cross that bridge later if it comes. At the moment I am comfortable and Tim is doing a great job.”