The way the Whitgift School-product pulls pace bowlers from back-of-a-length over mid-wicket is a reminder of some of the greatest Australians – and whets the appetite for England's winter ahead.
Australia is yet to see the best of Smith – he averages 23.16 against them from six one-day internationals - and any suggestions he is Gilchrist's heir will be met by sniggers down under.
Gilchrist scored 17 Test hundreds as he switched between a destroyer of tiring attacks to a man overqualified for a rebuild from number seven when the great Australian top order did fail.
One thing Smith has on his side is time, however, given he made his first Test century aged 24. Gilchrist did not make his debut until two weeks before his 28th birthday.
While ending his career with a record to match Gilchrist's remains optimistic, the road to becoming England's best looks within reach given Smith's talent and the ease in which he has taken to international level.
He has been in the Test arena less than a year but already only five wicketkeepers – Alan Knott and Jonny Bairstow with five, Stewart six, Matt Prior on seven and pre-War great Les Ames on eight - sit ahead in terms of most centuries for England.
Should he continue as he has started, injuries or England deciding to relieve him of the gloves look to be the only hazards in Smith's way.
While solid enough – he has a catch percentage of 96% from his 11 completed Tests – as a gloveman he does not move quickly enough to reach opportunities others could lay a hand on, while his missed stumping of Rishabh Pant in the first innings in Leeds last week was a regulation chance that Pant did not fully punish.
A change looks a long way off, however, with Smith a favourite of the Stokes-McCullum regime.
Pressure could one day come from recent England call-up James Rew, who has 10 first-class hundreds for Somerset and is still aged 21, or his younger, possibly even more talented, brother, Thomas. The younger Rew is 17 and made the fastest century for England Under-19s earlier this week.
For now Smith has the role to himself and he will soon be a favourite of England's vocal support.
The loudest noise during the third day was the Hollies chanting of Harry Brook's name to the tune of a Boney M track as he raised his bat.
It is Smith, though, that 17-year-old spotted by Stewart and now a fully-fledged international wicketkeeper and father, who is England's Daddy Cool.