"He wants to get one up on you all the time" - Ravichandran Ashwin opens up on his battles with Steve Smith ahead of 2024-25 BGT
Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Team India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has weighed in on his head-to-head battles with Australia's ace batter Steve Smith over the years. India and Australia will play five Tests, starting in Perth on November 22.
The duel between Ashwin and Smith is among the most highly-anticipated aspects of the series by fans. While Smith got the better of the Indian off-spinner in their earlier Test battles, Ashwin has enjoyed more success in recent years.
Talking about the different phases in their rivalry, Ashwin told 7Cricket:
"Steve Smith is someone that's fascinating as a player against spin especially. I think he is a very thinking cricketer as well. He wants to get one up on you all the time. But, he has got unique ways of practicing and unique ways of battling out with you in the middle. And sometimes as a bowler, when you are watching a batter go through his process, you do identify whether you have him or not."
He added:
"And several times in these years of having played with Steve Smith, I've felt that he has me. But several times much later, when I think I've kind of figured out what he does or how he bats is that I've had an edge over him, had the wood over him."
In Tests between 2013 and 2017, Smith scored 348 runs at an average of 116 against Ashwin, while being dismissed only three times in 570 balls.
However, the champion Indian spinner has dismissed Smith five times, with the Aussie batter averaging only 17.2 against him from 2020 to 2023.
"With spin, I think he came in with sound game plans, sound preparations and he used to execute it" - Ravichandran Ashwin on Steve Smith
Ravichandran Ashwin attributed Steve Smith's success overall and against him to sound strategies and game plans.
Yet, the Indian spinner believes spending time with Smith in the IPL when they played for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) helped him against the former Australia captain.
"He has his own unique technique even against fast bowling. But, with spin, I think he came in with sound game plans, sound preparations and he used to execute it come what may and over the years, I've found ways and means to be able to break it down. His time with Delhi Capitals and RPSG (Rising Pune Super Giants), all these net sessions that I've seen him go about his business really gave me an insight as to how he prepares and what he likes and what he doesn't like," Ashwin said in the same interview.
Ashwin's success against Smith has played a massive role in India upstaging Australia in the last four bilateral Test series from 2017 to 2023.
The duo have also battled each other in the white-ball formats over the years, with Smith holding the upper hand. Ashwin has dismissed Smith only once in 132 deliveries across ODIs, T20Is, and other T20s, with the batter scoring 128 runs.