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Ravichandran Ashwin and Steve Smith have had a fascinating rivalry in red-ball cricket with the Indian claiming to have dissected the Australian stars game plans.
R Ashwin (right) earlier this year became first bowler to dismiss Steve Smith for a duck twice in his career. (BCCI Photo)
Steve Smith is one of the finest batters of the current era and at one stage, his consistency in Test cricket once led to comparisons with Sir Don Bradman. Having started his career as a legspinner and a lower order batter, Smith has etched his name among the greatest batters to have played international cricket.
His battles with some of the world-class bowlers of this era have been quite enthralling and absorbing affair. One of his fiercest rivals, India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has termed the former Australian captain as a ‘fascinating player’ whose game plans he has managed to break down.
“Steve Smith is someone that’s fascinating as a player against spin, especially. He has his own unique technique, even playing fast bowling. But with spin, I think he came in with sound game plans, sound preparations and yeah, 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,” Ashwin told 7Cricket.
Ashwin says having observed Smith from close quarters during their time as IPL teammates at Delhi Capitals and Rising Pune Supergiants, it gave him an insight into how the batting superstar goes about his business.
“His time at Delhi Capitals, his time at RPSG (Rising Pune Supergiants), 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.
“He’s a very thinking cricketer as well. He wants to get one up on you all the time. But he’s got very unique ways of practising and unique ways of battling out with you in the middle. And sometimes, as a bowler, when you’re watching a batter go through his process you do identify whether you have him or not,” he added.
Ashwin, who has 536 Test wickets in 105 Tests, arrives in Australia on the back of being outshone on Indian soil by New Zealand’s spinners. Menawhile, the Indian veteran is the highest wicket-taker in the history of World Test Championship history with 194 scalps in 40 matches between 2019-2024.
Ashwin and Smith will renew their rivalry at the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy which gets underway from November 22 in Perth.
“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, I’ve had an edge over him. I’ve had the wood over him,” said Ashwin.
Overall, Ashwin has so far taken 536 wickets in 105 matches at an average of under 24, which places him second on India’s all-time Test wicket-taking list, behind only the legendary Anil Kumble, who claimed 619 wickets.
