Steve Smith has buried demons of sandpaper saga

As master batter closes in on milestone Test, he says he is at peace with sandpaper scandal that cost him the captaincy.

Virat Kohli has called Steve Smith the master batter of his generation Picture: Getty Images

Fitting in some ways that the Australian side should play Steve Smith’s 100th Test match surrounded by indignant locals.

Appropriate too that the finest batsman of his generation is a bystander to the brouhaha surrounding Jonny Bairstow’s stumping and in focus for his enduring talent alone. Proud, he says he is and proud he should be of a career that includes 32 Test centuries and a batting average of 59.56.

According to his skipper Pat Cummins, Smith is amused by the controversy and said to teammates at Lord’s that now they know how he feels.

In the UK he is booed every time he walks on the ground and jeered every time he looks around.

They will never let him forget the shame of 2018, but he is at peace with his role in the sandpaper scandal.

“Honestly it doesn’t bother me,” he said this week. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I know the person I am, I know how I want to go about things.

“I am out here playing my game and for my country. Everyone can say what they like, it doesn’t bother me. Everyone can say what they want to say but I am comfortable in my own skin.”

Some would struggle to overcome the loss of the captaincy, but Smith is happy to assist Cummins as vice-captain on the field.

“It’s Patty’s team, and I am there to help him in any way I can since he took over from Painey (Tim Paine) a few years ago,” he said. “I’m just here to help and I think he is doing a tremendous job.”

Smith says if Cummins needs advice on handling this week’s controversy then he is there for him, but imagines the bowler can deal with it himself.

“He is happy with everything,” he said. “Any of the guys, if anyone wants to talk about anything I have obviously been through a lot and had the experiences. So my door is always open.”

Virat Kohli recently ranked Smith as the greatest batter of his generation. Smith rises for the big occasions, posting a century at Lord’s last week – the same ground he scored 215 at in 2015.

His innings in the second Test made him the fastest (174 innings) Australian and the second fastest player behind Kumar Sangakkara (176 innings) to 9000 runs. Of those who played more than 20 Tests, only Don Bradman (99.84 from 80 innings) and England’s Herbert Sutcliffe (60.73 from 94) outpoint Smith’s average.

“Proud is the word I suppose,” he said when asked how he felt about his career to this point.

“The longevity I have had in the game and what I have been able to achieve across those 100, it’s been a great journey. I have loved every moment of it. To walk out in a couple of days’ time at Headingley for my 100th, I am extremely excited.

Steve Smith celebrates his 32nd Test century at Lord’s Picture: Getty Images

“There’s been loads of great things that this team has achieved. I have been lucky to play with some tremendous players in the dressing room, some great teams. I think our team right now is right up there. We have a tremendous bunch of players, batters that contribute all the way down. Some great fast bowlers and a spinner we are going to miss this week. He has been throughout my journey as well and been amazing. We have a tremendous team. But it’s been a hell of journey. I have enjoyed every bit of it.”

Smith was still suffering from concussion when Australia played and lost at Headingley in 2019, featuring only in the famous video of Justin Langer upending a rubbish bin as he watched proceedings unfold.

“I didn’t enjoy that at all. Just sitting and watching the Ben Stokes show, that almost occurred again in this game,” he said.

“To be able to walk out at Headingley, it will be a great moment for me to tick off 100 games. Not too many people have done that in the Australian set up. There have only been 15 or 16. To tick off that number is pretty special.”

Smith admits that winning an Ashes in England is a bucket list item and it would be “special for sure” to do it in his 100th game.

As for retirement, he says he doesn’t know when that’s going to happen.

“Don’t know, not sure. I will take it game by game,” he said.

“Just enjoy myself out in the middle. And while I am enjoying myself and feel like I can improve and contribute to the team, and feel good about helping the team then I will keep playing.”