Sports
Scary that Smith is getting better: Paine
Manchester, Sep 9
Australia captain Tim Paine has lavished praise on Steve Smith and termed him a genius following his brilliant run in the ongoing Ashes.
Smith returned at the Old Trafford post a concussion-forced break and amassed 293 runs in the fourth Ashes Test, which Australia won by 185 runs to retain the urn.
The former Australian skipper, who has three centuries to his name apart from two fifties, has scored a total of 671 runs in five outings so far, nearly the double of what the second-best has in eight innings (Ben Stokes, 354 runs) been.
"Anyone who's watched (Smith) bat in the last three or four years knows the talent and the skill and the hunger that he has got," cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying on Sunday evening.
"People don't see how driven he is and how much he trains, eats and sleeps batting. He is just a genius and I never had any doubt that he would come back and be the player that he was.
"The scary thing is he's getting better," he added.
The Australian skipper further said that the team was just ecstatic and enjoying Smith's return to international cricket.
"I don't know where it's going to stop but we are enjoying being along for the ride with him, that is for sure."
Having an unassailable 2-1 lead, Australia will now look to seal Ashes 2019 when they take on England in the final match of the series from Thursday at the Oval.
Smith returned at the Old Trafford post a concussion-forced break and amassed 293 runs in the fourth Ashes Test, which Australia won by 185 runs to retain the urn.
The former Australian skipper, who has three centuries to his name apart from two fifties, has scored a total of 671 runs in five outings so far, nearly the double of what the second-best has in eight innings (Ben Stokes, 354 runs) been.
"Anyone who's watched (Smith) bat in the last three or four years knows the talent and the skill and the hunger that he has got," cricket.com.au quoted Paine as saying on Sunday evening.
"People don't see how driven he is and how much he trains, eats and sleeps batting. He is just a genius and I never had any doubt that he would come back and be the player that he was.
"The scary thing is he's getting better," he added.
The Australian skipper further said that the team was just ecstatic and enjoying Smith's return to international cricket.
"I don't know where it's going to stop but we are enjoying being along for the ride with him, that is for sure."
Having an unassailable 2-1 lead, Australia will now look to seal Ashes 2019 when they take on England in the final match of the series from Thursday at the Oval.
8 hours ago
Biden unveils tariff hikes on Chinese EVs, solar cells, semiconductors, other imports
8 hours ago
Russia aiming to build buffer zone near Kharkiv: ISW
12 hours ago
Biden must protect long-term undocumented immigrants, according to Jayapal.
12 hours ago
Senate Candidate Suhas Subramanyam Receives Jennifer Wexton's Support
12 hours ago
Missouri resident of Indian descent admits to attempted White House attack in guilty plea
12 hours ago
Indian government approves Chabahar Port deal with Iran despite US warning of sanctions
13 hours ago
Legal Blow for Vinod Khosla, Indian American Billionaire, in Martin's Beach Dispute
13 hours ago
Kamala Harris: Honoring her Mother's Legacy as a Trailblazer in the 1950s Indian Immigration Wave to the US
14 hours ago
SC dismisses plea seeking six-year ban on PM Modi from elections
14 hours ago
The ebb and flow of political rivalries: The Sushil Modi and Lalu Prasad Yadav story
14 hours ago
Hopefully will get success in politics too, says Kangana on filing nomination from Mandi
14 hours ago
Amazon pumps Rs 1,600 crore into its India arm as e-commerce battle intensifies
14 hours ago
68 pc Indian firms rely on tech to drive sustainability success: Report