“They haven't come up against us yet” - Steve Smith fires Ashes warning with bold 'Bazball' remark
Australian batter Steve Smith has stated that he is unsure about how well England’s ultra-aggressive approach, often referred to as ‘Bazball’, will work against them in the Ashes.
The Aussies are currently taking on India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval and find themselves in a commanding position. Smith scored a defiant 121 off 268 balls as Australia posted 469 in their first innings after being asked to bat first. They then reduced India to 151/5 as all the bowlers claimed one wicket each.
Australia’s fast bowlers made life uncomfortable for India’s batters, with Ajinkya Rahane and KS Bharat receiving painful blows. Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc also got some extra bounce off the surface to send Virat Kohli packing cheaply.
Speaking after the end of the second day’s play in the WTC final, Smith opened up on the upcoming ‘Babzall’ challenge.
"I mean, I think it'd be difficult on this kind of wicket that's up and down and seaming around - it's not easy to defend let alone come out and swing. I said it initially when Bazball started that I'm intrigued to see how it goes against our bowlers. I've said that all along," he said.
"They've obviously done well against some other attacks, but they haven't come up against us yet. So, we'll see," Smith added.
Smith's 121-run knock included 19 fours. He featured in a 285-run stand with Travis Head (163 off 174) and was eventually dismissed when he chopped a delivery from Shardul Thakur onto his stumps.
After the conclusion of the WTC final, Australia will take on England in the Ashes, which begins on June 16 with the first Test in Birmingham.
“The length at off stump is important” - Steve Smith on Australia’s success with the ball
On Day 1 of the WTC final, several cricket experts opined that India were guilty of being too short and not utilizing the favorable conditions for bowling after winning the toss.
Australia, in contrast, gave a good account of themselves and bowled with precision to put India on the back foot on Day 2.
Smith spoke about Australia’s impressive bowling performance on the same surface where India struggled for the most part.
"The length at off stump is important. We've obviously seen a bit of variable bounce and some seam movement. So if we're challenging the top of the stumps as much as possible, that's the quickest way home," he explained.
With three days left in the WTC final, Australia are in firm control. India are trailing them by 318 runs, with only five first-innings wickets in hand.