A new era dawns for next generation

On Thursday afternoon in Adelaide, a new era of Australian cricket will begin with its youngest team in three decades.

Not since the third Test against England in December 1986 when Allan Border led a troop of greenhorns has an Australian team fielded a side younger than the XI Steve Smith will lead on to the Adelaide Oval.

Border's team had an average age of 25.93 and included Test newcomers Steve Waugh, David Boon, Merv Hughes, Dean Jones and Bruce Reid whom had all been awarded their Baggy Green within the two previous summers.

Smith's men, at 26.55, features three players yet to win a maiden Test cap in Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson, with vice-captain David Warner the only player to have celebrated his 30th birthday.

"I'm really excited and Davey Warner keeps telling me he's the only one in the thirties now, he feels like an old man," Smith said on match eve.

At only 27, Smith has captained Australia 16 times at Test level, but now has the opportunity to mould a side from scratch following the seismic clean out after the Hobart hammering.

"I think it's a great opportunity for me to stamp my authority on this team as the leader," Smith said.

"I have talked a lot to the guys over the last couple of days about growth and trying to grow and learn as a team.

"I know that growth doesn't happen overnight, so it could take some time, but I am confident that with the guys we have here that we can start turning our results around straight away and start playing the way we want to play."

Steve Smith exclusive: New faces and starting with a blank page

In the wake of the innings defeat in Hobart – Australia's fifth straight Test – Smith called for his players to be resilient, adaptable and show pride in the Baggy Green.

It was an impassioned plea from the under siege skipper who had not a lost a Test six months earlier.

"I think Smithy spoke superbly after the Hobart Test about what the team needed and where we needed to go as a group to get back to firstly playing competitive cricket and putting it up to them and then getting back to being a successful Test team," injured Australia paceman Peter Siddle told The Unplayable Podcast.

"He spoke brilliantly about the passion and the Baggy Green and the group of guys that he wanted around him.

"As a captain that's what you need. You need a lot of trust and faith in the guys you're taking out in the field and you're working with out there."

Test great Ian Healy likened Smith to Border in the mid-1980s, two isolated individuals at the top of their game trying to inspire a struggling crop in Test match cricket.

Quick Single: Meet new Aussie opener Matt Renshaw

While it might be a new side short of experience both on and off the field, Smith has surrounded him with the people he wants, and that's paramount according to former Test captain Ricky Ponting.

"As a captain it's important to have the right people around you that you confide in and talk to about the good times and the bad times," Ponting said on SEN.

Quick Single: Proming Nic Maddinson given chance to shine

"Things are never quite as bad as what you think and sometimes things aren't as good as what you think either. And that's the way Steve Smith has to look at it.

"He led the way with the bat in that second Test in Hobart and if he keeps leading the way with the bat, the rest of the guys will follow.

Quick Single: Matured Peter Handscomb ripe for picking

"Sometimes that's all you can do as captain; you set the example for the way you want the other boys to play and hope they can do it for you."

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