MENTAL TOLL OF CRICKET

Australia is in the midst of one of its worst droughts but there is one place where the sound of rain is certain next week … in Steve Smith’s hotel room.

The run-scoring superstar admits a new life free of pressures of Test captaincy has done nothing to cure his battles with insomnia, with his powers of concentration so all-encompassing, it can double as a curse.

Smith reveals his mind explodes into such vivid detail as he visualises his next innings that he can’t switch it off.

The 30-year-old has turned to the pitter patter of raindrops to try to break the sleepless nights that can ultimately exhaust him during Tests.

“Before I bat I’m still pretty ordinary. I’m working on a few different techniques to get better,” Smith said.

“I’ve been listening to something that I think has actually helped a bit, which is listening to the rain app on my phone.

“That seems to have made a bit of a difference and I do that quite a lot now. I just find it hard to switch my brain off. It’s all to do with doing my visualisation.

“Watching bowlers running in at me. Where I’m hitting them, and things like that. It’s all positive but I wish I could just turn it off, if that makes sense.”

Some have speculated that Smith – who yesterday signed a comeback cameo deal with the Sydney Sixers – must feel liberated without the burden of captaincy.

But the batting king reveals his all-or-nothing personality makes it impossible for his total investment in the game to be scaled back.

“There’s not as much stuff to do before games, with press and things like that. But I actually don’t look at the game any differently,” says Smith.

“When I’m out on the field, I’m still looking at everything and that hasn’t changed since I’ve started playing. I just concentrate on every ball and look at what’s going on in the game.

“Whether I’m making decisions or not, I still view the game the same. Not a lot has changed in that aspect.”