Regarded by many as the most accomplished Test batsman of all time, Steve Smith left an indelible mark on the WTC final against India with a masterful innings of 121 at The Oval. His exquisite display, spanning 268 balls, combined with Travis Head’s audacious 163, propelled Australia to a commanding first-innings total of 469.
In the second innings, the former Australian captain seemed at ease as he notched up 34 runs off 46 deliveries, until an uncharacteristically reckless swing at Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery cost him his wicket.
The moment Smith played the ill-advised shot against Jadeja, while attempting to dance down the track, he immediately realized his mistake. Shardul Thakur completed a straightforward catch at mid-off, and Smith couldn’t help but acknowledge his error.
However, putting that aside, prior to the start of Day 4’s play, Smith was engrossed in a conversation with Justin Langer. During their chat, out of the blue, Virat Kohli approached them.
Kohli’s opening remark to Smith in the morning was a light-hearted “rubbish shot,” devoid of any insult. It’s worth noting that Kohli had praised Smith as “the best Test player of this generation” before the WTC final, making it a friendly exchange rather than anything else.
Langer described the entire incident in a similar vein, highlighting how Smith concurred with Kohli’s assessment that it was an ill-judged stroke to play against a sharply turning delivery.
