Former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior believes that Jamie Smith needs to be the heartbeat of England's team, providing a stable presence behind the stumps and helping to lift his teammates' spirits.
Smith has struggled in recent matches, failing to pass 33 in his past eight Test innings, while mistakes have crept in behind the stumps with the Surrey man dropping Australia's Travis Head in the second Test in Brisbane. Prior acknowledges that the pressures of being a wicketkeeper can be intense, often feeling like they are "panicking" as they stand behind the stumps.
To succeed, Smith must focus on his own game and internalize everything, rather than getting caught up in external factors such as tactics or team pressure. He needs to be out there, wanting to be in the middle of the action and contributing to England's recovery from a 2-0 deficit in the Ashes series.
Prior draws an analogy with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, saying that Smith is looking at someone making it look "easy". The former cricketer notes that this is a major factor for him as he feels compelled to improve his game.
Smith has struggled in recent matches, failing to pass 33 in his past eight Test innings, while mistakes have crept in behind the stumps with the Surrey man dropping Australia's Travis Head in the second Test in Brisbane. Prior acknowledges that the pressures of being a wicketkeeper can be intense, often feeling like they are "panicking" as they stand behind the stumps.
To succeed, Smith must focus on his own game and internalize everything, rather than getting caught up in external factors such as tactics or team pressure. He needs to be out there, wanting to be in the middle of the action and contributing to England's recovery from a 2-0 deficit in the Ashes series.
Prior draws an analogy with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, saying that Smith is looking at someone making it look "easy". The former cricketer notes that this is a major factor for him as he feels compelled to improve his game.
. It's easy to see other players making it look effortless like Alex Carey, but it's not always that simple 
. Smith needs to focus on his own footwork and hand-eye coordination, rather than worrying about what others are doing. He should aim to be proactive, taking charge of the game and lifting the spirits of his teammates 
. Prior's analogy is spot on - when you look up to someone else for inspiration, it can be tough to break free from that mindset 
. Smith needs to find his own identity as a wicketkeeper and take ownership of his performance 
.
. Like, Matt Prior is saying Jamie Smith needs to be the heartbeat of the team, but what about us as fans or supporters? Are we not feeling the vibe that's supposed to boost his spirits? 
It's not all about him, but for sure, he needs to step up his game. I mean, 8 innings without passing 33 is a bit of a drought, even for a wicketkeeper 
. And that drop against Travis Head in Brisbane... not good, mate 
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I mean, we've seen cricketers try to follow someone else's style and it just doesn't work out. He needs to find his own rhythm, focus on his game and not get distracted by all the external stuff. And yeah, being in the middle of the action would be a great thing, lifting his teammates' spirits... that's what Prior was talking about when he said "heartbeat" 
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. But seriously, Prior makes a good point about focusing on his own game and not getting too caught up in the external pressures. It's easy to get intimidated by the likes of Travis Head, but Smith needs to believe in himself more than anyone else. I do think it's interesting that he's drawing inspiration from Alex Carey, though - Carey's got a very different playing style, so it'll be interesting to see how Smith adapts his game.
... can't wait to see how he bounces back in the next Ashes match! 
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