Monty Panesar and Steve Smith found themselves in an unexpected confrontation just before the Ashes series. During a press conference, the Australian captain brought up the ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal, reigniting the controversy surrounding ball-tampering.
Panesar’s remarks regarding the scandal seemed to have gone unnoticed by many cricket fans until Smith strategically raised them in his press briefing. The former England spinner had suggested that Ben Stokes and the England team should exploit Smith’s guilt from the incident to gain a psychological advantage.
Smith, who was at the center of the sandpaper scandal in 2018, cleverly diverted the conversation by mentioning Panesar’s appearance on a quiz show. Despite the attempt to provoke him, Smith brushed off Panesar’s comments, emphasizing his focus on the upcoming Test match where he will lead the Australian team.
Reflecting on the situation, Panesar, known for his cricketing career with England, humorously responded to Smith’s jibe, acknowledging their respective errors – one on a quiz show and the other on the cricket field.
The Ashes series is set to kick off in Perth, with England considering an aggressive pace attack featuring five seamers. While off-spinner Shoaib Bashir made it to the 12-man squad, he is likely to be excluded from the playing XI.
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