If Steve Smith was playing in my time, I would have definitely tried to hit and hurt him: Shoaib Akhtar

Steve Smith has looked almost invincible in the last 4-5 years. The former Australia captain has redefined consistency in Test cricket with his unbelievable batting exploits. His Bradmanesque batting performances have left the world gasping for breath. Nothing defines his consistency better than the fact that it took him only a couple of Tests to regain the number one spot in ICC rankings despite serving a one-year ban.

He made his comeback to Test cricket through the Ashes this summer and hit the ground running. Smith was head and shoulders above any other batsman in the series. The right-handed batsman scored more than 330 runs than any other player despite missing three innings in the series due to a concussion. In the end, he finished the series with three centuries, three fifties and 774 runs at an average of more than 110.

It was Smith’s performance that helped Australia retain the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001. The Australia star has been batting in the same manner in the last few years and unsurprisingly, bowlers have found it tough to dominate him irrespective of the conditions or venue. Smith has scored heavily across the world to assert his supremacy over almost everyone.

How to dominate Steve Smith?

This is one question that perhaps no bowler has found an answer to yet. When Jofra Archer floored Steve Smith with a vicious bouncer in the Ashes, it looked like he would give the star batsman a run for his money. But as soon as Smith returned to action, he made it clear that Archer is also one of the many who would struggle to get the better of him.

And as the bowlers across the world are desperately trying to find ways to dismiss Smith, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar has come up with his own idea. The ex-cricketer, who was known for his extreme pace, said that while Smith’s batting lacks technique or style, the batsman makes up for it with his bravery.

Akhtar further said that he would have tried to hit and hurt Smith had he faced the Aussie star. He, however, was quick to admit that it is impossible to hurt Smith as he lavished praise on the right-handed batsman.

“Steve Smith has no technique or style but he has bravery. If he was playing in my time, I would have definitely tried to hit him and I would have tried to hurt him. But it’s impossible to hurt this guy, he’s playing so well, he’s one of a kind,” Akhtar was quoted as saying by Pakistan journalist Saj Sadiq.

Shoaib Akhtar "Steve Smith has no technique or style but he has bravery. If he was playing in my time, I would have definitely tried to hit him and I would have tried to hurt him. But it's impossible to hurt this guy, he's playing so well, he's one of a kind" #AUSvPAK

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) November 6, 2019