The great South African Dale Steyn has praised Steve Smith for his impeccable consistency in the test cricket and is confident that opener David Warner will return to his best in the upcoming home season.
Smith had an incredible Ashes series in England that crossed fifty-six times in seven innings, while 774 runs totaled an amazing 110.57 average. His career average jumped to 64.56 and surpassed India’s captain Virat Kohli as the best-placed batsman in the ICC test batting scoring for MRF tires. Steyn, who was recently signed by Melbourne Stars for the upcoming Big Bash League in Australia, was big praise for the right-hander.
💬 "Winning a World Cup medal with your country would be a big highlight."
— ICC (@ICC) October 8, 2019
Dale Steyn has big plans for next year's #T20WorldCup! https://t.co/lGK65r4bOj
“Steve has come … and with his technique that he developed naturally, he just confuses the bowlers left, right and center,” Steyn said. “I think he’s a great player, he’s wonderful, he has a great eye and a very difficult and weird technique that works well for him.”
Steyn was only once in charge of Smith in seven test innings and dismissed him in 2014 in Port Elizabeth – the only golden duck to date in 124 innings. The veteran, who finished in tests (439) as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker, is relieved that he no longer faces the challenge of playing bowling in the longest format.
“You literally do not know where to go with this guy,” Steyn said. “And while they’re trying to sort it out, he’s beating them everywhere and scoring goals at the same time, he’s in a league of his own right now and I’m very glad I do not have to play friendly games against him again and again.”
"I think he’s got enough credits in the bank. We know how good a player he is" – Tim Painehttps://t.co/lnplX3RjyA
— ICC (@ICC) October 1, 2019
Steyn, who had a 42.3 batting average in the longest format – the best bowler with at least 200 scalps – spoke of the difficulties in bowling against batsmen using unorthodox techniques.
“When I turned to fighters like Michael Vaughan or Jacques Kallis, who were classic, technically perfect and solid, I always found that I could get them out,” he said. “It was just the weird guys who passed by, like Shiv Chanderpaul and Steve Smith, who really confuse you about the line you should bowl, whether it’s on the stumps outside the stumps.”
While Smith had a phenomenal time with the bat in England, Warner struggled throughout the series with just 95 runs out of 10 innings. However, Steyn is confident his former IPL skipper will perform well in the upcoming home season.
“He’s one of the best fighters I’ve ever cornered with,” Steyn said. “He puts you under pressure from the ball on the first day of a warm-up match, you have to take what he can give you with what can happen, in which case he was found to be against someone like Broady [Stuart Brad] Wicket wants to be. ” If he attacks this stump, it can happen sometimes, but he comes to Australia, finds a form, plays with his friends and his regular audience, and that can quickly change for him.
“World-class players will not garbage overnight, especially not a tour, he’ll be fine, I would not let him down at all, I’d leave it as it is.”
