Smith’s protege a future Aussie star

AUSTRALIA has found Tim Paine’s successor’s successor, with Steve Smith confident Josh Philippe has the potential to pad up for the Aussies in all three formats.

Smith will play his first game alongside Philippe for the Sydney Sixers tonight against Brisbane Heat, 15 months after convincing the wicketkeeper-batsman to move from Perth.

The shift has been a golden move for the 22-year-old, who was averaging as high as 51.2 in the first half of the Big Bash League before a recent rough trot.

“There’s no reason why he can’t play all three forms for Australia,” Smith said.

“He’s got all the tools there, it’s just about using them at the right times.

“He plays fast bowling really well, we’ve seen him play spin really well with Rashid Khan (earlier this summer).

“The more he plays and is exposed to pressure situations the more he will improve.”

Smith was instrumental in getting Philippe to the Sixers last season.

Philippe’s only way into the Perth Scorchers team would have been if a spot opened up through injury or national representation.

With Cameron Bancroft and Josh Inglis the preferred WA keepers, he would have likely only played as a batsman. That situation prompted a call from Smith that helped put Philippe in magenta.

“I thought it was a no-brainer to get an opportunity as a young kid to experience a different environment,” Smith said.

“He has played really well up the top of the order, but he also played really well down lower last year.

“Not too many people around the world have nailed that position. M.S. Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Andre Russell or Jos Buttler are very good as well.

“The way he nailed that, for a young kid, was very impressive.”

At national level, Alex Carey, 28, has the gloves in the white-ball game and is seen as Paine’s successor in Tests.

But Philippe is six years younger and his window of opportunity will come.

Regularly compared to Smith in appearance and technique, Philippe is sure he made the right move from the west.