I'm very happy that I don't have to play Test matches against Steve Smith ever again: Dale Steyn

Steve Smith’s triumphant return during the recently concluded Ashes was a case-study in how one should use adversity as an opportunity to come back stronger and better. After making a tearful exit from the International stage for a period of 12 months in the aftermath of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal, Smith returned hungry for runs as he always was. In 4 Ashes Tests, the former Australian captain emerged as the bedrock of his sides’ batting, racking up 774 runs at an average of 110.57.

Apart from the mountain of runs that he racked up, it was Smith’s unorthodox batting and the way he left the ball outside the off-stump left many in splits and stunned. Weighing on the genius that is Smith and also his unusual technique, Dale Steyn reminisced about his playing days where he reckoned that getting guys like Chanderpaul and Smith out was always difficult for him as compared to classical batsmen like Jacques Kallis or Michael Vaughan.

“When I bowled to batters like Michael Vaughan or Jacques Kallis who (were) classical, technically perfect, sound batters, I always found that I could get them out. It was only the weird guys that came around, like Shiv Chanderpaul and Steve Smith, they really confuse you about the line you should be bowling. Whether that should be on the stumps (or) outside the stumps.” Steyn said as quoted by cricket.com.au.

Steyn felt that Steve Smith was confusing the bowlers with his unorthodox technique and they literally have no idea where to bowl to him. He also revealed how relieved he is of the prospect that he’ll never have to bowl to Smith again in a Test match.

He’s just in a league of his own right now

“Steve has come … and with his technique that he’s naturally developed, he’s just confusing bowlers left, right and centre. They literally don’t know where to bowl to this guy. And while they’re trying to work that out, he’s clubbing them all over the place and scoring runs at the same time.

He’s just in a league of his own right now and I’m very happy that I don’t have to play Test matches against him ever again. He’s wonderful, he’s got a great eye and a very difficult and weird technique to work out, which is working for him beautifully.” Steyn said as quoted by cricket.com.au.

Meanwhile, Steyn, who recently retired from Test cricket will soon be making his Big Bash League debut where he will turn out for last seasons’ runners-up Melbourne Stars.

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