His unorthodox batting stance has left many befuddled but Australian run-machine Steve Smith says though it depends on number of factors, he generally positions himself outside the off-stump to limit ways in which he can be dismissed. Smith, the world number 1 Test batsman, has amassed 7227 runs in 73 Tests and 4162 runs in ODIs with an unconventional technique, which most have failed to decode. During a podcast organised by inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals, Smith opened up about his unusual technique to New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi.

Talking about his open batting stance, Smith, the former Rajasthan Royals captain, said: "It depends on who's bowling, how is the wicket playing, how I gonna score and stuff like that or how people are trying to get me out, probably that determines how open I am or otherwise how closed I am. "But my general stance where my back foot is going to almost off stump, or may be even outside at stages, I know that anything outside my eyeline isn't hitting the stumps," he said.