Steve Smith Punished Himself After Brisbane Test - Here Is Why?

Australia’s batting prodigy Steve Smith witnessed a rare failure in the first Test against Pakistan at the Gabba in Brisbane. But the home side registered a convincing win to go 1-0 up in series beating the visitors by an innings and five runs. Despite a resounding victory which saw them come up in the second spot in the ICC World Test Championship table, Smith punished himself. Here is why?

Smith made a prolific return to Test cricket showing his batting greatness during the Ashes 2019 against England. He rose to brilliance as Australia managed to retain the Ashes urn in England for the first time since 2001 under the leadership of Steve Waugh. Steve Smith finished with 774 runs in 4 Tests (7 innings) at an average of 110.57 including a double hundred, two more hundreds and three fifties.

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The former Aussie skipper, however, saw a rare poor return when Yasir Shah made him his bunny in the first Test. Steve Smith punished himself after the dismissal and ran all the way back to the team hotel instead of taking the team bus and covered three kilometres in the process. The world no 1 Test batsman confessed that he has this system wherein he punishes himself if he gets out early while rewards if he scores 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 hundred,” Smith said on Tuesday. “So yeah, if I get no runs I always like to have a run or go to the gym or do something just to give myself a bit of a punishment,” he added.

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Steve Smith motivated to score against Yasir Shah

Yasir Shah has dismissed Steve Smith seven times so far in Test cricket. Smith said that would work as extra motivation when they lock horns in the second Test starting from November 29 in Adelaide which will be a pink-ball Test. He also added that he would be a bit more careful while playing against Shah in the next match.

“I feel the times he (Yasir Shah) has got me out, I have been on a few runs. I have been slogging in a couple of second innings ones where I was playing some funky shots and stuff so I’m not too worried. It (the send-off) gave me a bit more motivation next game to not get out to him. So, I will probably be a little bit more disciplined against him,” Smith concluded.

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