Worcester: Playing his first Test after the ‘Sandpaper Gate’ fiasco in Cape Town in 2018, former Australia skipper Steve Smith stunned all when he hit a century in the both the innings of the first match to lead the Kangaroos take a 1-0 lead in the Ashes.
From a 122/8 in the first innings, Smith single-handedly took the Aussies in a much respectable position before notching up another in the second innings to put them in the driver’s seat.
Speaking on what makes Smith special, skipper Tim Paine said: “Steve Smith averages over 60 in Test cricket, so I think the beauty of Steve is you can come up with a plan but he’s good enough to adapt really quickly.
“I think that’s what makes him the best player in the world, his ability to adapt to any plan that is thrown at him. I think he processes it quicker than other players and adapts on the spot.”
Meanwhile, former Australia skipper Steve Waugh went a step further and said that Smith has the ability to read the opposition and their tactics and that helps him in trying situations.
“He knows the opposition, what they’re trying to do, how they’re trying to get him out and he seems to have an answer for everything,” Waugh said.