Ashes 2019 | Steve Smith wanted to get on the honours board, says Justin Langer

Although it took some time for Smith to regather himself, he was forced to withdraw by the team doctor Richard Saw for precautionary concussion testing. The home of cricket stood as one to applaud the champion batsman. Until, of course, less than ten overs later when Smith re-emerged – this time, only half the audience showed their appreciation, the rest resorted back to the primary English way of booing.

"As soon as he got up in the medical room, it was like 'Nah I'm going okay', then he had the concussion testing and the doctor came through and said 'he's passed all that and he's pretty good'. I was saying 'mate are you sure you're okay', these are like my sons right, so you're never going to put them in harm's way, even though you're always in harm's way with Test cricket. But he's going 'mate, I've got to get out there, I can't get on the honour board unless I'm out batting'. All he was worried about was that he wasn't going to be able to play his forward defence because it was hurting with his top hand grip,” Langer was quoted saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Quite visibly, the dressing room was shaken up by the episode that had unfolded before their eyes. Four of the Australian squad – Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, and Travis Head – were at the SCG, in November 2014, when Hughes collapsed to never wake up again, after being hit in a similar part of the neck. Langer admitted that the moment will continue to linger at the back of Smith’s mind.