Ellis strikes early after Australia win the toss and send India in at Manuka Oval

Sam Konstas is still finding himself as a cricketer and young man and Pat Cummins has only just bowled the first gentle balls of his summer, but Steve Smith looks ready to make big runs in the Ashes if they were starting this week.

A little slow at first as he played himself in, Smith scrounged to 50 then positively skated to a century for New South Wales against Queensland at the Gabba, taking increasingly brazen liberties against the Bulls on an equable batting track.

After playing one handsome cover drive, Konstas shouldered arms to a ball delivered around the wicket by former NSW paceman Hayden Kerr and had his middle stump knocked back.

Though he made a century for Australia A in India in mid-September, Konstas’ scores on home soil have been: four, 14, 40, zero, 53, 20 and 10. The national selectors are due to finalise the Ashes squad at the end of this round.

The Konstas novella, preceded by Cummins’ return to bowling in the nets at Cricket Central in Sydney, was the curtain-raiser for a masterful performance from Smith who, despite taking 22 balls to get off the mark, was largely untouchable.

Smith will need to be sharp if Jofra Archer can maintain the rhythm he showed in taking 3-25 against New Zealand in Wellington about the same time. But the way Smith built his innings contrasted with how a hectic England have been bowled out twice inside 40 overs by the Black Caps.

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