Smith heading to IPL and MLC, but unsure about T20 World Cup

Steve Smith's next six months include a maiden in-person commentary gig at the Indian Premier League and a playing stint in the USA's Major League Cricket competition, but he remains uncertain if he'll be included in Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup.

Smith admits his return to the T20 line-up in two of the recent games against the Black Caps in New Zealand "wasn't ideal", with scores of 11 (off seven balls) and four (off three) at the top of the order alongside Travis Head.

It was the 34-year-old's first hit out in Australia's T20 outfit since last year's post-World Cup bilateral campaign in India, and his only other two 20-over outings for the current summer was for Sydney Sixers in the BBL where scored 61 and a first-ball duck.

Men's team coach Andrew McDonald has indicated he and fellow selectors George Bailey (chair) and Tony Dodemaide will take into account players' performances at the upcoming IPL before finalising their squad of 15 for the June World Cup in the Caribbean and USA.

But Smith's only involvement in the IPL will be his two-week commentary commitments in Mumbai and acknowledges his hopes for making the World Cup squad are now out of his hands.

"I'm not sure, we'll wait and see," Smith told cricket.com.au when asked if he felt he faced an uphill battle to earn selection.

"I'm easy, I'm content where everything's at in my career and what I've been able to do so if I'm part of the World Cup great, I'd love to be, but if I'm not then so be it.

"I haven't had that consistent block of playing T20 cricket and a lot of the guys are now, so they're kind of specialists in that format.

"So I completely understand that but we'll wait and see where that all lands."

With Head and David Warner seemingly the first-choice opening combination for the Cup campaign, and Smith's recent elevation to that role suggesting that is where he's seen as the best fit for the T20 game, his main competition for a Cup berth appears to be Matt Short.

Named player of the tournament for the past two BBL seasons, Short impressed in his sole appearance of the NZ series with player of the match honours in the final game at Auckland where he clubbed 27 from 11 deliveries and claimed a vital early wicket with his off-spin.

It's the all-round package Short offers that might sway selectors, given the 48 hours it takes to fly replacement players to the Caribbean should injuries occur which heightens the need for back-up players capable of filling every on-field contingency.

Smith noted his lack of involvement in T20 cricket during the Australia summer – he was rested from the three-game Dettol Series against West Indies following a hectic Test year – made it difficult for him to find his feet in the shortest format against the Black Caps.

"I would have liked a few more runs," he said of his two-game stint as opener.

"I got a couple of decent balls to be fair – (Lockie) Ferguson got me lbw with a big in-swinger, then (Adam) Milne got one to take off and catch my glove.

"It wasn't ideal, but if I play a lot more T20 cricket I can get the rhythm a bit more.

"I obviously hadn't played for a while, when you come in for one or two games here and there you're still trying to find the rhythm of the game.

"I'll get better at that format the more I play consistently."

Smith said he won't be hitting any balls during his IPL commentary stint, which perhaps provides an insight into the ex-Australia captain's ambitions once his extraordinarily successful playing days are over.

"It's something different, and a new experience," he said of the commentary role in which he's had little previous experience.

"I enjoy talking about the game, and I'm looking forward to giving my insight."

He also confirmed he will take part in the Major League Cricket tournament that immediately follows the World Cup, with his spare time in between spent in New York where he and wife Dani own an apartment.

Smith is looking forward to a total break from cricket once the current Qantas Tour of New Zealand concludes in early March, but is also keen to be part of the MLC which is scheduled to begin after the T20 World Cup and capitalise on interest generated by Cup matches in the USA.

He has not indicated where he will be playing, but has previously been linked to Washington Freedom where another former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting will coach and where Smith was named brand ambassador last year given the franchise's link with Cricket New South Wales.

"I'm looking forward to that," he said.

"It's an exciting tournament, having a real crack at the US is great for cricket.

"And from what I heard last year the tournament, I'm looking forward to playing this year."

As for his future at international level, Smith reiterated he has no long-term vision of his Australia playing career and is instead taking it series by series.

It echoes the outlook of his new Test opening partner Usman Khawaja who aired a similar vision yesterday as the pair prepared for the opening Test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve starting tomorrow.

But while 2023 was a brutally busy year on the Test front with 13 matches against four opponents in three countries, Australia's only Test commitments after the NZ campaign are five home matches against India next summer and two Tests in Sri Lanka at this time next year.

"I've run through it the other day with Ronnie (Andrew McDonald) and George (Bailey), and went through what was coming up," Smith said of his long-term plans.

"There isn't a heap of Test cricket in the next two years, so we'll wait and see where it all goes.

"I take it tour by tour at the moment, and I'm just enjoying it with my new role up the top (of the order)."

Qantas Tour of New Zealand

Watch all the action from the NZvAUS Tour live and exclusive on Foxtel and Kayo Sports. Click Here to subscribe

February 29 – March 4: First Test, Wellington, 9am AEDT

March 8-12: Second Test, Christchurch, 9am AEDT

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc

New Zealand Test squad: Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O'Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson, Will Young.