'I can’t wait to play' – Steve Smith excited about upcoming home season

Smith last made an international appearance at home during the 2017-18 Ashes and the five-match ODI series that followed, against England. He later served a year-long suspension for his role in Cape Town's ball-tampering incident in March 2018, before making an international comeback in this year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and the Ashes series, both in England.

Australia are set to play two back-to-back international series at home against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Sunday, 27 October, is going to be Smith's first international appearance on home soil, after having last played during the ODI series against England in January 2018.

"It should be good, I can’t wait to play," Smith said on Friday. "Any time you walk out and play for Australia it’s a great honour and to be back playing here in Australia, I’m excited," he added.

Australia were denied a spot in the World Cup final by the eventual tournament champions England, after they lost to them in the semi-final by eight wickets. The marquee event was Smith's first international assignment after return from the suspension, in which he scored 379 runs in 10 games at 37.90, and had top-scored for his team in the lost-semifinal clash with a patient 85.

He followed that up with exceptional performance in the Ashes series, which Australia retained for the first time in 18 years on England soil. Smith finished the series as the highest run-getter, aggregating 774 runs from four Tests at a staggering average of 110.57, and leaped to the top position in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Batting Rankings, while at it. He now is getting ready to fit into the T20I outfit, a format he hasn't played at the international stage since the 2016 ICC World T20, and has his eyes set on next year's 20-over World Cup.

"I’m sure with the World Cup in a year’s time there’s an opportunity to have that continuity," Smith said. "I think we’ve seen over the years that the T20 format is one where guys are rested a lot. That will probably change leading into the World Cup I dare say.

"I think it’s a great opportunity for 14 guys that have been picked here to have that continuity and try to perform together and work towards hopefully being part of a World Cup. It starts here this summer. We’ve got six games straight."

Australia will start their home summer with a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, beginning 27 October in Adelaide, and will then play as many T20Is and two Tests against Pakistan.