"I did a lot of work with Robin Singh and I respect him a lot. Unfortunate he is not with us in Chennai but he has done a lot of work with me and I thank him a lot for what he has done, especially in the sub-continent," said Smith in the post-match conference.
The two struck a bond when Robin was coaching Barbados in the Caribbean Premier League and Smith fondly remembered the times.
"Once again I would credit Robin for working with me, especially helping me get control of my game. To survive in international cricket or any type of cricket you need to score runs. And you can't score runs just by smashing around. In between you have to work around the singles and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking," said Smith.
"I can say that IPL has given me a chance to showcase my opening skills but I actually use to open for my local team in Barbados and that is where I got a chance to play the new ball. It was my decision to take that chance and since that time I have been doing very well," he said.