Former England cricket star Monty Panesar has reacted to the remarks made by Australian captain Steve Smith ahead of the Ashes series. Panesar and Smith had a verbal exchange before the First Test in Perth, where England suffered a quick defeat within two days.
Following the loss at Optus Stadium, Ben Stokes and his team have moved to Brisbane for the Second Test at The Gabba. Prior to the series opener, Panesar suggested that England should leverage the ball-tampering scandal of 2018 to unsettle Australia and gain an edge in the matches.
In response to Panesar’s comments, Smith brought up Panesar’s appearance on BBC’s Celebrity Mastermind from 2019 during a press conference. Smith humorously referenced Panesar’s answers on the show, implying a lack of concern for Panesar’s remarks.
Panesar has now addressed Smith’s comments, expressing surprise at Smith’s knowledge of his Celebrity Mastermind performance. Panesar found amusement in being able to provoke Australians from the comfort of his sofa. He highlighted the lack of media attention to his sandpaper incident comments and suggested that Ben Stokes could use it as a psychological tactic.
Reflecting on Smith’s performance in the First Test, Panesar noted Smith’s initial nervousness and subpar batting. Despite acknowledging Smith’s greatness as a player and captain, Panesar emphasized the importance of England’s strategic choices in the upcoming matches.
Panesar concluded by mentioning the ongoing banter between him and Smith and the potential for England to use various tactics to gain an advantage in the series. The interview with Panesar was conducted by BOYLE Sports ahead of the second Ashes Test match.
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