SYDNEY :Steve Smith cut a relaxed figure when he named the Australia team for the opening clash in his ninth and possibly final Ashes series on Thursday, a far cry from the perpetual angst that used to be his hallmark at the crease.

An injury to Pat Cummins means Smith will captain his country in a stand-in capacity for the seventh time since losing the permanent job in 2018 for his part in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal.

Smith will undoubtedly face jibes over that incident from the travelling England fans during the series, but on Thursday he calmly made a lengthy joke at the expense of former England spinner Monty Panesar in answer to the one question about it.

"I'm pretty chilled," the 36-year-old told reporters. "I think I've learned a lot over my journey. And yeah, the couple

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