Smith joins the county this week for his somewhat controversial pre-Ashes stint, which will see him play three County Championship matches in the build-up to the World Test Championship final against India and then the five-match series against England.

Now Pujara will be the captain as he leads Sussex and will form one of the more formidable No. 3 and 4 combinations county cricket could see with Smith, although the battle to come won't be far from the mind.

"We will be playing WTC final, so it will be mixed feelings. On the field we always have good battles, but off the field we are good friends."

While the signing of Smith has sparked a debate about whether the county game is being too accommodating to the Australians ahead of the Ashes, it has also been talked up as a great opportunity for Sussex's young players to work alongside a great of the game.

"All of us are looking forward to having him here and sharing his experience. He has a lot of knowledge about the game so it will be nice to have his inputs."

Smith's three-match spell with Sussex is also set to bring him up against Marnus Labuschagne when they face Glamorgan.