Blackcaps v Australia: Glenn Phillips admits to watching 'a lot' of Steve Smith batting

Glenn Phillips hopes to talk batting techniques with Steve Smith after his own drew comparisons with the Australian superstar on test debut in Sydney.

Phillips' crazy week was capped with a maiden half-century on Sunday, after he had to make the mad dash from Auckland on Thursday afternoon on match eve with several Blackcaps ill.

The 23-year-old appeared to showcase all the Steve Smith quirks as he top-scored with his 52 on debut at the SCG.

He shuffles across his crease in the same manner and has the same angled bat lift to gully, as noted by the likes of Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting and Allan Border.

"It may be more like a coincidence more than anything else," Phillips said.

"Back in four-day cricket I used to shuffle across every second or third ball even though I'd stay still in between them.

"Then over the winter I just struggled to move my feet one day and decided to do it every ball and it brought a little more rhythm to my technique.

"Although I did take one thing out of Smudge's technique where his bat goes way out from his body.

"For me personally, when I brought my shoulders back into line everything came down a bit more central."

The Blackcaps will be thrilled if Phillips turns out to be half the player that Smith is.

Tagged the next big thing in Kiwi cricket after slogging six sixes in an over for Marylebone Cricket Club in 2016, Phillips made his international Twenty20 debut at age 18.

Phillips has met Smith briefly in the Caribbean Premier League, but could have the chance to do so after the Sydney test.

"Obviously I've watched him a lot," Phillips said.

"In the CPL last year, I had a bit of a chat with him and had a look at his bats. The bats he gets are way different to the bats we get.

"I haven't had the chance to talk properly. It will be awesome. He seems like a pretty cool guy. I'd love to have a chat with him some day."

The South African-born batsman was very much in white-ball mode when he arrived in Sydney, having played a T20 for Auckland on New Year's Day, then received a call from national selectors the following day.

But he largely reined in that aggression on day three of the third test, barring a couple of notable exceptions in a 115-ball stay at the crease.

Phillips was dropped twice by Nathan Lyon, having offered sharp return catches to the offspinner when on two and 17.

He then had an even more remarkable reprieve on 28 when caught off a James Pattinson no-ball.

AAP