 "Ashes 2025-26: Monty Panesar, Steve Smith exchange jibes ahead of first Test")
Former England spinner Monty Panesar and star Australia batter Steve Smith are engaged in an interesting back-and-forth banter ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes opener on Friday in Perth.
After Panesar told English side to target Smith for his involvement in the 2018 ball tampering controversy, the Australian hit back by invoking a bizarre quiz appearance of the left-arm spinner. Panesar has yet again hit back at Smith with another stingy remark.
Panesar fired first shot
Smith will be filling in for regular captain Pat Cummins who remains out of the first Test due to an injury. Since he was the captain when in 2018 the sandpapergate controversy broke out, Panesar had urged England to “really get into” Smith about his role in the incident that led to the Aussie batter getting banned for a year. Talking about Smith, Panesar told England to “make him feel guilty”.
Smith reminded Panesar of embarrassing quiz appearance
On being asked about Panesar’s comments, Smith chose to remind mediapersons about the left-arm spinner’s appearance at a quiz show. Panesar delivered wrong answers to simple questions consistently in what became a famous viral video on the Internet.
Smith talked about the answers in the video and said he remained unbothered by Panesar’s comments.
Monty Panesar said England should reignite Sandpaper-gate during the Ashes...
— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) November 20, 2025
Steve Smith came prepared. đŸ˜‚ pic.twitter.com/Kspp5nuBXv
“Those of you that have will understand where I am coming from. If you have not, do yourself a favour because it is pretty comical. Anyone that believes that Athens is in Germany, that is a start, or that Oliver Twist is a season of the year and America is a city.
“It does not really bother me, those comments. That is as far as I will go with that one,” Smith had said.
Panesar fires back
The former England left-arm spinner too was ready with his reply after Smith’s jibe.
“We’ve both made mistakes. I made mine on a quiz show. He (Steve Smith) made his on a cricket field,” said Panesar on BBC 5 Live on the eve of the first Test.
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