"I've never let any spinner do that" - Steve Smith rues not attacking Ashwin
Steve Smith has rued not counterattacking Ravichandran Ashwin better in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. The number-one ranked Test batsman has been in all sorts against the off-spinner who has already dismissed him twice in 4 innings.
In the first innings of the Adelaide Test, Ashwin foxed Smith with a straight delivery. The batsman went to play for the turn and was caught in the slips for 1 - his lowest Test score against India then.
In the next game, Ashwin bettered that by getting Smith caught for a rare duck. This time again, it was a well-laid plan to make him play to the leg-slip.
Talking to SEN, Steve Smith remarked that he hasn't let any other spinner dominate him as Ashwin has done in this tour.
"I probably haven't played Ashwin as well as I would've liked; I probably would've liked to have put him under a bit more pressure. I've sort of let him dictate terms and that's something I've probably never let any spinner do in my career," said Smith.
Smith's poor form reflects the entire fragile Australian line-, which hasn't crossed 200 in a single innings the 2 Tests.
"Just want to be out there for long" - Steve Smith
Steve Smith hasn't recorded a double digit score in the two Tests yet. He played Ashwin better in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test, but was bowled around his legs by Jasprit Bumrah.
"I've sort of taken it to them, been a bit more aggressive and made them change things. I haven't allowed that to happen, probably because I'm searching for just being out there for long enough. It's kind of a two-edged sword in a way, but I think I've just got to have the confidence to take it on and play my game" said Smith.
The 31-year-old had scored brilliant back-to-back hundreds in the ODI series against India and said he had found his hands. The cricket fraternity saw that as a harbinger for the Test series. However, the Indian bowlers haven't allowed him off the leash, leading to Allan Border sternly saying, "Steve Smith has lost his hands."
It's setting up well for another riveting contest in the New Year's Test. Will Steve Smith come back hard in Sydney? Will he overcome his demons and figure out how to get through shrewd tactics by India's premier off-spinner.