'I always punish myself when I get no runs' - Steve Smith ran 3 kms back to hotel after scoring only 4 runs in 1st Test

When Steve Smith returned to play Test cricket in the Ashes after a 16-month layoff, there were apprehensions regarding how he would turn up. But the Australian batter put the doubts to rest and notched up with twin centuries at the Edgbaston in Birmingham. Soon after, he pushed himself from fourth to the top spot in the ICC rankings for Test batsmen, surpassing Virat Kohli.

Smith ended the Ashes as the leading run-scorer and in fact, he is the leading run-scorer in Tests in 2019, having played only eight innings. Prior to Australia’s series against Pakistan, the focus was on Smith and visitors’ head coach Misbah-ul-Haq talked about hitting Smith’s ‘blind spot’. Though it was expected to be tough for the young Pakistan attack, but in the end, it materialized.

Yasir Shah foxed the run-machine and castled him with a delivery that didn’t turn much. Smith could only manage four with a solitary boundary and couldn’t take advantage of the favourable batting conditions. It was one of Smith’s rare failures even after combining all the three formats.

I reward myself when I score runs, says Steve Smith

Taking the blemish in his stride, the right-handed batsman decided to punish himself. Rather than taking the team bus, he walked 3 kms back to the hotel. The 30-year-old Smith has set high standards for himself and his numbers are a testament to the potential he possesses.

But apart from being harsh on himself, Smith doesn’t forget to reward himself when he gets a century. “I always punish myself when I get no runs, just like I reward myself when I score runs with a chocolate bar at the end of the night if I get a 100,” Smith was quoted as saying in Pak Passion.

Smith’s chance for redemption will come in the Day-Night Test versus Azhar Ali and Co. The match will be played at the Adelaide Oval, starting November 29. At the very venue, Smith averages a stunning 65, having scored 455 runs with a top score of 162* against India in 2014.

He also has three half-centuries in Adelaide. It will almost be a couple of years since Smith last played a Test match at the renowned venue.

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