Steve Smith is probably one of the best batters going around, especially in the Test format. Starting his career as a leg-spinner, Steve Smith quickly rose to limelight thanks to his gifted hand-eye coordination while batting. Over the years, Smith has achieved and broken several records but his international career is also marred with several controversies. Let us check Steve Smith’s biggest scandals in the international cricket.
Steve Smith biggest scandals
Brain Fade moment in Border-Gavaskar trophy
Facing India in the second Test match of the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Steve Smith was given out while facing Umesh Yadav. After discussing briefly with his batting partner, Peter Handscomb, Smith was seen glancing towards the dressing room for advice on whether to review the decision using the DRS (Decision Review System).
Indian captain Virat Kohli at that time immediately protested, and the on-field umpires intervened, denying Smith the opportunity to review the decision. Later on, Smith accepted his mistake and termed it as a ‘Brain Fade’ moment.
Removing Rishabh Pant’s guard mark
During the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Steve Smith was accused of removing Rishabh Pant’s guard mark during the third Test in Sydney. During the match, a video went viral which showed Smith, shadow-batting during the drinks break and removing the guard marked by Pant. He was lambasted for his actions and received considerable flack for what he did.
Sandpaper controversy
The “Sandpaper Controversy,” also known as the 2018 Australian ball-tampering scandal, was a significant event in cricket history. It occurred during the third Test match between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town in March 2018.
During the match, Cameron Bancroft was caught using sandpaper to rough one side of the cricket ball. Later on, it was revealed by the leadership group, which included the skipper Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner. Bancroft received a nine-month ban, while Smith and Warner were each banned for 12 months from international and domestic cricket
