India spinner Ravi Ashwin has declared he has “figured out” Australian star Steve Smith over the years ahead of this summer’s Border-Gavaskar series.
The pair have been rivals in the Test arena since 2013, with a struggling Smith notably dismissed twice by Ashwin early in the 2020-21 series.
The Aussie was frustrated with having let Ashwin “dictate terms” against him then — “something I’ve never let any spinner do in my career” — and followed up those comments with a dominant showing.
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He scored 60 runs off 101 balls against Ashwin at the spin-friendly SCG and, more importantly, recorded a first-innings century and 81 in the second before falling lbw to his rival.
Yet more struggles followed when Australia toured India in early 2023 with Smith averaging just 29 for the series as he fell twice to Ashwin and three times to Ravindra Jadeja.
Smith will resume hostilities with Ashwin this summer for potentially the last time in the format.
And the Indian veteran is ready to put in place everything he has learned in their many battles in the nets and out in the middle.
“Steve Smith is someone that’s fascinating as a player against spin especially,” the 37-year-old told Bharat Sundaresan in an interview for 7Cricket.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.”
Smith enters the Border-Gavaskar series returning to his spot at No.4 following his ill-fated stint as an opener.
Australia’s hope is that his replacement Nathan McSweeney will see off the new ball to help both Smith and first-drop Marnus Labuschagne.
Ashwin, meanwhile, arrives in Australia on the back of being outshone on Indian soil by New Zealand’s spinners.
He took just nine wickets from his 90 overs, down on taking 11 in 64 overs against Bangladesh in the series prior.
And it was a far cry from his whopping haul of 26 at home against England earlier this year and 25 in Australia’s 2023 tour of India.
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