Prolific Smith can match Ponting: Border

Former Australia captain Allan Border believes incumbent skipper Steve Smith will need to maintain his high standards for at least five more years if he is to surpass Ricky Ponting, as the country's second best Test batsman of all time.

The International Cricket Council's all-time ratings currently have Smith joint fifth with England's Peter May, while he's the third highest Australian behind the legendary Donald Bradman (first) and Ponting (fourth) with English greats Len Hutton and Jack Hobbs second and third respectively.

Smith whose Test career started in 2010, averages an astonishing 61.23 after 57 matches. Ponting, whose Test career spanned from 1995 until 2012, averaged 51.85 over 168 games.

Asked on Fox Sports' Inside Cricket if he could see Smith going past Ponting, Border said "he'll have to do something pretty remarkable, because Ricky Ponting had a hell of a career.

"If Steve Smith continued to do what he's doing, then, yeah sure," he added.

"But it will be have to be five years of that to go past Ricky Ponting for me."

Smith's batting has blossomed since he assumed the captaincy, with his average rising to 72 across the 27 Tests he has led his country.

The right-hander increased his lead as the world’s best Test batsman after his brilliant century in Australia’s first Magellan Ashes Test win against England in Brisbane.

He sits 53 points clear of second placed Cheteshwar Pujara, while England skipper Joe Root, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and India superstar Virat Kohli round out the top five, with just 11 points separating those ranked 2-4.

Smith scored a match-winning unbeaten 141 at the Gabba, his 21st Test century. It’s the second time the 28-year-old has reached 941 rankings points, having also achieved it during the Qantas Tour of India earlier this year.

His efforts in Brisbane prompted Australia legend Ponting to note that his own record of 41 career hundreds is under serious threat from Smith, and he believes the current skipper could finish his career as one of the best, if not the best, batsman the game has ever seen.

"Hopefully it's in danger, I'd love to see that," Ponting told cricket.com.au.

"If he keeps going like he is, he's going to catch me in four or five years. It's well and truly in danger.

"What we're seeing is potentially one of, if not the best batsman that the game has ever seen."

Former England captain David Gower, admitting he wrote Smith off upon first seeing the Australian in his first coming in Test cricket as a leg-spinning allrounder, says he's now firmly convinced of his credentials.

"Root tried most things, indeed almost more than most things, and the simple truth is that Smith showed infinite patience, determination and skill in making his slowest yet potentially most valuable ever test hundred," Gower wrote in his column for cricket.com.au.

"If someone plays that well then whatever you do as captain is just possibly not going to be enough.

"I remember watching from the commentary box when he first played against England and it was rather unfairly suggested that his main task was apparently to crack a few gags in the rooms and keep his team’s spirits up.

"Well, if anything raises a team’s spirits it’s the captain leading from the front and making match-winning hundreds, and the Aussie team will be both all smiles now and full of respect for his abilities.

"As will England, who will not be offering “Tell us a joke, Smithy” as their opening gambit anymore!"

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21