Australian coach Darren Lehmann has hailed Steve Smith as a superstar after he sent the world into meltdown with a record breaking innings and a classic one-handed catch against New Zealand.
Smith's grab to dismiss Black Caps wicketkeeper BJ Watling has already been lauded as the catch of the summer and made highlight reels in the United States, where genuine interest in cricket is fleeting at best.
But the catch was only a glimpse of Smith's brilliance – the Australian captain plundered 164 to break the record for the highest individual ODI score at the SCG earlier in the day.
When Smith is in full flight there are not many cricketers in the world that could better him, and his is a career that has blossomed since taking on the "second most important job in Australia".
Smith first became the national skipper under Lehmann and the pair are working day in, day out to send Australia back to the top of world cricket.
"It's a really close relationship," Lehmann said.
"He's a young captain, [he has] done really well and really making the side his own. For me it's really just supporting him in his endeavours to become a great leader and for the cricket team to become the best it can be.
"That's our challenge – be adaptable, resilient, try and get our team playing well in all conditions, and that's what he wants to do. My role is just really helping him and backing him up in that."
Lehmann says Smith has seemingly grown another leg since taking on the leadership role and he has the stats to back it up.
Of the 76 centuries by Australian batsmen in all three formats over last three years, Smith has made 21 of them.
"He's obviously been scoring lots of runs regardless, since he's been back in the side full time," Lehmann said.
"He's taken his game to another level and now he's captain he's really raised it again as a skipper."
Lehmann believes the Australians may have struggled in the series opener had New Zealand held on to their catches – Smith was dropped twice, and could have been dismissed leg before wicket for just 14.
The Black Caps opted not to review the decision and Smith would add a further 150 runs as the hosts took a 1-0 Chappell-Hadlee series lead into Manuka Oval on Tuesday.
Smith has enjoyed some success in his two matches at Manuka Oval for Australia since 2014 – he scored an unbeaten 73* (55) and 51 (29) against South Africa and India respectively.
Australia remain unbeaten at Manuka Oval from three attempts and Lehmann hopes to preserve that record and sew up the series against New Zealand.
"We've had some great games in Canberra the last couple of years so [playing here again] is great," Lehmann said.
"It was really high scoring last year so we expect the same this year. It looks pretty good, hopefully the weather holds off and it's a good outing for everybody."
Lehmann says the challenge for Australia is finding a way to get wickets on a deck famous for high scores – only once in six games since 2013 has the side batting first in an ODI in Canberra failed to reach 300.
And despite Smith's recent form, World Cup winning coach Lehmann says Australia can't afford to leave the bulk of the run scoring duties to the captain.
Smith was the only top order batsman that had an innings worth writing home about in the series opener, with No.6 Travis Head the other player to reach a half-century.
"It'd be nice for all our top order to do most of the batting, but that's the game sometimes," Lehmann said.
"New Zealand bowled well but this game, especially here in Canberra, is going to be high scoring."
CHAPPELL-HADLEE SERIES
Tuesday: Australia v New Zealand at Manuka Oval, 2.20pm. Tickets available at Ticketek.
