Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith delivered a pointy response to former England spinner Monty Panesar after the latter prompt Ben Stokes’ England ought to use sandpaper-related sledges throughout the upcoming Ashes collection. Talking at a press convention following Australia’s announcement of their taking part in XI for the Ashes 2025–26 opener in Perth, Smith was requested about Panesar’s remarks and didn’t hesitate to revisit a infamous second from Panesar’s previous.
Smith recalled Panesar’s look on the UK quiz present Mastermind from six years in the past, the place the ex-spinner fumbled a number of fundamental questions. The Australian star was properly conscious of Panesar’s current feedback and used the reminiscence of that episode to fireside again.
Here’s what Panesar had mentioned:
“Ben Stokes and the England staff have gotten to make Steve Smith really feel responsible and play on that,” Panesar mentioned.
“Say one thing like, ‘I do not suppose it is moral that he is the captain, I do not suppose he performed the sport pretty’. Actually get into him and make him really feel responsible about it. Make him really feel like, ‘they’re in all probability proper, I should not be right here, I should not be doing this.’
“That is the place the UK media should additionally focus and put stress. Use it as a means to assist England,” he added.
“I hope that England makes use of it as a bonus and do not simply get quiet about it as a result of we all know he bats properly when he is captaining Australia.
“If it have been the alternative, the Australian media could be throughout it. They might have mentioned, if it was any of the English gamers, ‘the cheaters have arrived’. Proper?”
If we’re digging up the previous…
Steve Smith has fired again at Monty Panesar’s name to revive ‘Sandpaper Gate’
Elite pre-Ashes banter, this pic.twitter.com/RGwvqUXU3J— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) November 20, 2025
Smith’s reply was equally pointed.
“I am gonna go off subject for a second right here,” Smith mentioned. “Who have you ever within the room have seen Mastermind and Monty Panesar on that?
“Any of you? Yeah. Nicely these of you which have, you will perceive the place I am coming from, and people of you have not, do your self a favor as a result of it is fairly comical.
“Anybody that believes that Athens is in Germany, that is a begin, Oliver Twist is a season of the 12 months and America is a metropolis, does not actually hassle me these feedback.
“Yeah, that is so far as I will go together with that one.”
Australia additionally confirmed two debutants for the Perth Check. Jake Weatherald will associate Usman Khawaja on the high of the order, whereas Brendan Doggett is available in as a substitute for the injured Josh Hazlewood.