IND vs AUS | Didn’t play Ashwin as well as I would have liked, admits Steve Smith

Steve Smith’s battle with Ravichandran Ashwin was rather a short one but during the short period of time, it was one of the fascinating passages in the Adelaide Test. Ashwin’s set-up was rather very clear - bowl a couple of off-spinners to get the ball rolling before a straighter delivery on good length would tempt Smith to defend the ball on his leg-side. 

While it happened as per plans, Smith’s leg-side push resulted in an edge and easy catch to Ajinkya Rahane in the first slip. The former Australian skipper Smith admitted that he didn’t play the office as well as he would have liked. The right-hander’s dismissal helped India create inroads in the first innings, where Australia’s batting fell flat on their face. 

"No (when asked about if his dismissal was a case of preparing too hard for the pace battery of India). I just knicked one that didn't spin; unfortunately that happens sometimes. I thought it was pretty well bowled, to be honest. The two balls prior spun a bit and got a bit grip of the wicket and the next one was kind of side-spin which skidded off. I didn't play as well as I would have liked. It was some decent bowling," Smith said while replying to a query from ANI, reported TOI.

Smith, who has an incredible record against India at home failed for the first time in over the last six years, with a single-digit score in the first innings. The Australian batsman also credited Ashwin’s presence of mind, calling him a ‘world-class’ performer. 

"Playing in Australia and playing in India is a bit different; the ball doesn't spin as much as it spins in India. He is a good bowler, he has played a lot of cricket now. He is a world-class performer," he further said.

However, the 31-year-old also stated that he will learn something from the dismissal and play the office better in the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

"He tried to bowl from round the wicket and skid it on. It was a good piece of bowling. Part of playing anywhere is adapting. I know he got the better of me the other day; hopefully, I will learn something and move forward and play him a little bit better in the next game,” he concluded.