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India vs Australia: Darren Lehmann lauds Steve Smith as Bradman-like, says young team is growing under a future legend

Smith scored 499 runs, which included three centuries, in the just concluded four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in India.

India vs Australia: Darren Lehmann lauds Steve Smith as Bradman-like, says young team is growing under a future legend

New Delhi: Australia lost the hard-fought and fiery Test series in India, but coach Darren Lehmann believes that in Steve Smith, they have found a player who is not only "Bradman-like" but also a leader who can become one of the greatest captains.

Smith scored 499 runs, which included three centuries, in the just concluded four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in India. He was also the leading scorer of the series. But his impressive batting form was somehow overshadowed by many run-ins with rival skipper Virat Kohli.

But Lehmann claimed that the 27-year-old's performance, in the midst of chaos, was Bradman-like.

"He`s been unbelievable. He`s been Bradman-like with the bat but all the stuff behind the scenes has been exceptional," Lehmann was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia.

After the series, which India won 2-1, Smith struck a conciliatory note with the Indians, and even Ajinkya Rahane – who stood in for injured Kohli in the Dharamsala Test – to have beer together with the Aussie team. And Lehmann was impressed by Smith's leadership skills, and said the latter can become one of the great modern Test captains.

"Really pleased for him and what he`s brought to the team as a leader. Three hundreds in four Test matches is pretty special,” he added.

He then compared Smith to the likes of Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting — all legendary captains.

"He`s a different leader to Michael (Clarke), to Ricky, to Mark Taylor, to Steve Waugh.

"And he`s working out his own identity as a captain. But I`ve been proud of him; everyone has been proud of him. So, pleased with where he is going and he`ll just get better and better,” he said.

The coach was also in praise for the young Aussie team, which was put to test in Indian conditions and under intense pressure.

"The way they`ve gone about it has been impressive. They (the Australia team) have been young, they`ve been up against it, the pitches have been as we would expect.

"There`s a lot of learnings in this group over this tour.

"They`re all hurting and disappointed for the result but really pleased with the effort and the attitude and trying to change the way we play here,” he said.

Australia started the series on a bright note, winning the first Test in Pune by a whopping 333 runs, but lost the second match in Bengaluru by 75 runs. It was followed by a draw in Ranchi, before the series finale in Dharamsala.