Jamie Smith: Opening against WI was 'great practice' for India Tests

Jamie Smith believes that opening the batting in England's ODI series against West Indies has provided him with "great practice" for facing India's Test-match quicks. Smith cracked a 25-ball half-century - his first in ODIs - in England's seven-wicket win at The Oval on Tuesday and said facing "quality" new-ball bowlers has been beneficial to his wider game.

"There's an opportunity there to go and play, and experience opening when the ball is still swinging and nipping around against quality bowlers," Smith said. "It's definitely great practice [for the India series]. It feels like we're close to it now, we're almost there. It's been great playing these three games and obviously the Zimbabwe Test leading up to it."

Smith struck at 180.35 across the three-match series, scoring 37, 0 and 64 as England swept West Indies 3-0. He has been ever-present in their ODI squads since last September, having made his international breakthrough in Test cricket last summer as Jonny Bairstow's successor.

Smith is not in England's squad for the T20I series that starts on Friday, with Phil Salt returning from the IPL to replace him, and will have a short break before the first Test starts on June 20. "I feel good," he said. "Hopefully, the next 10 days or so can go well, prep-wise, and we can head into [the] India [series] quite fresh, which is amazing."

He has never previously faced Jasprit Bumrah, India's spearhead, in any format, but said he will not be spending much time watching footage of his bowling in the build-up to the series. "Hopefully, down at No. 7, I can watch other lads go and face him first," Smith said. "[He is] certainly a challenge there."

Nor will Smith, who became a father in December, be watching the World Test Championship final next week. "I'll have enough to do at home to keep me busy and entertained," he said. "I'll be trying to stay away and hopefully get myself mentally and physically in a good place for once the Test series starts, so come the last Test, I'm still feeling fresh and ready."

England's next 10 Tests could be legacy-defining, with an Ashes series in Australia looming after the five-match India series. "We're playing the two best nations," Smith said. "It's always going to be talked about, and the key for us and the group that we have at the moment is we're focusing on one game at a time.

"Everyone knows the magnitude of what you've got coming up, but if we can try and stay in the present then it's a good time to test ourselves against the best. We feel in a really good place, and I think everyone's really excited and in a great place to go and attack them."