Ashes 2025-26: Australian Steve Smith falters after uproar over England clash

The focus of the entire 24 hours leading up to the first Test on Smith was entirely of his own doing.

Pre-planned and pre-meditated, he entered his team captain’s press conference – a job he may only hold for a week if Pat Cummins recovers from injury – to deliver his response to Monty Panesar.

Without being mean to Panesar here, hardly anyone noticed the former England player’s comments about how England should make Smith feel “guilty” over his role in the “Sandpapergate” scandal when they were first made a week ago.

Smith, who has been the target of jeers from England fans since his role in a 2018 ball-tampering incident against South Africa, saw them through though.

On the eve of the ashes, the moment was caught on video in the media.

A day later, Smith wandered into middle after just two deliveries, as debutant Jake Weatherald was grounded by Jofra Archer while dismissed lbw.

He appeared, with his collar on, and with Nadalian’s usual flow, to the tune of England fans pointing out his tears on TV when he resigned the captaincy in 2018 (Panesar’s update has yet to be published).

Smith produced the most innings of non-Smith. There were 12 plays and errors on 49 punts, including three tough passes.

Two blows to the elbow, and one to the hand. A risky single that would have run out Marnus Labuschagne with a direct hit.

There were the swings, the glove waves and the bat points — that will never change — but his 49% foul shot percentage was his highest personal record.

Smith’s average of this figure in Australia is 10.9%. The previous highest level anywhere in the world was 29%.

The Australian great, who has scored 10,494 Test runs at an average of 55.81 to rank fourth in his country’s top run-scorers list, has been as unstable as ever.