BRISBANE: Skipper Tim Paine warned on Thursday that Steve Smith “feeds off” criticism and was fired up for the high-stakes fourth Test against India, which Aust­ralia will start without inju­red opener Will Pucovski.

Smith has faced accusations he had been trying to cheat by scuffing up batsman Rishabh Pant’s guard at the crease during the tense drawn third Test at Sydney, which left the series locked at 1-1.

He strongly denied it and said he was shocked by the reaction, claiming he was simply shadow batting.

Paine said his team-mate was mentally strong and determined to build on his man-of-the-match performance in Sydney, where he made 131 and 81.

“Steve is in a good frame of mind,” Paine said ahead of the clash at the Gabba starting on Friday.

“I think we’ve seen through what he’s been through in the last three years... he’s mentally very strong, very tough. He knows sometimes he’s going to be criticised and he’s handled that supremely well.

“If anything, I think he feeds off it. His statistics speak for themselves and we’ll see the best of Steve Smith again this week.”

India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour suggested the Smith row had been blown out of proportion.

“We didn’t even know about that incident, only after the game when the media picked it up,” he said on Thursday. “As a batsman, Rishabh wasn’t even aware so I would not like to comment because this hardly matters.”

Australia will go into the series-deciding clash without Pucovski, who dislocated his shoulder while fielding in Sydney, where he made an impressive first innings 62 on debut.

It was another cruel setback for the 22-year-old, who missed the first two Tests with concussion.

Marcus Harris, who has played nine Tests, but not since Australia retained the Ashes in England last year, will open instead alongside David Warner.

It will likely be the only change to the team that played the third Test.

India have their own injury worries with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ruled out after dislocating his left thumb, while fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has an abdominal strain and batsmen Hanuma Vihari a hamstring tear.

Rathour said India would leave naming their team until the last moment.

“Our medical [team] is working with all the players. We would like to give them as much time as we can. I think it will be only be tomorrow that we’ll know which eleven is going to play,” he said.

If Bumrah cannot play, their already inexperienced attack will be led by Mohammed Siraj alongside Navdeep Saini and one of the uncapped T. Natarajan or Shardul Thakur.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2021