Former England spinner Monty Panesar has reignited the verbal battle with Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith, responding sharply to Smith’s recent remarks before the Ashes opener in Perth. The exchange began when Panesar suggested England should target Smith mentally by reminding him of the infamous 2018 Sandpaper incident. Smith dismissed the suggestion with a jab at Panesar’s widely mocked appearance on ‘Celebrity Mastermind,’ where the former cricketer gave several incorrect answers.
Panesar, however, was quick to counter. He stated that while his quiz-show mistakes were harmless, Smith’s actions were witnessed on the global cricket stage and remain far more consequential. According to Panesar, Smith’s decision to bring up the old clip shows that England may already be inside his head before the first ball of the Test series is bowled.
Smith, who temporarily takes over leadership duties in the absence of Pat Cummins, continues to face reminders of the 2018 scandal that cost him the Australian captaincy. Panesar emphasized that both men have made mistakes but insisted that only one of them is still struggling to move on from the past. He suggested that England players like Stokes, Root and Archer could use Smith’s vulnerability to apply on-field pressure in Perth.
Panesar also questioned whether Smith has fully come to terms with his role in the Cape Town incident, describing it as one of the darkest moments in Australian cricket. He added that if he meets Smith again, he would ask whether the Aussie star can confidently look in the mirror knowing what happened seven years ago. Panesar ended by saying that while cricketers have highs and lows, Smith’s 2018 controversy remains his biggest professional shadow and a potential weakness England can exploit.