With the World Test Championship final (WTC) 2023 rapidly approaching its end, the talks of the forthcoming Ashes are making big enough headlines that are hard to notice. The five-match Test series is scheduled to begin from June 16 In Birmingham.
There are many names that England would watch out for in the Australian squad in the series. However, the biggest challenge that England would look to overcome would be to dismiss Aussie star batter, Steven Smith. The 34-year-old has been a force to be reckoned with over the years, and the same could be the case when Australia take on England.
Smith scored a magnificent ton against India in the first innings of the WTC final, and he would look to continue that brilliant form. Continuing upon the same, former England skipper Naseer Hussain came forward to warn England of Smith’s form in the Ashes.
"The bad news for England is that there's no glaring weakness in Steve Smith's game. It's why he averages 60 in Tests. And it's why, unlike some Australians in recent years, he has an exceptional record in this country. His first-innings century against India in the World Test Championship final was the latest example," Hussain wrote in his column in the Daily Mail.
You risk giving him runs: Hussain
Furthermore, Naseer Hussain also opined on what strategies England could use to dismiss Steve Smith. Hussain opined that full length deliveries could be the way to go against Smith.
"India bowled back of a length to Smith for too long, and he works those deliveries to leg more easily than anyone I've ever seen. By the time they went fuller he had his eye in but if England don't have any joy with pinning him leg-before after 20 or 30 balls, they can think about going a bit wider of the crease and targeting that fourth stump outside off," Hussain said.
"You might then slip in a fullish ball on the pads in an attempt to surprise him but, as a fielding captain, you might allow yourself only one or two of those a day once Smith is set. Otherwise you risk giving him runs," he concluded
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