![]() ![]() His selection during the Ashes series of 2010-11 drew a lot of contempt and after Australia lost the urn, his career also faded a touch, being dropped from all formats of the game. However, there was still a lot of rawness in his skill set. Smith started off as a player who could bat at 7 or 8 apart from bowling his leggies. ![]() The tour of England later that year saw his initiation in the longest format as well. In a couple of years, the national call-up came with the limited-overs debut happening in February 2010. Smith's talent was evident but he was too raw for the big stage. His boyish charm and the run up to the crease even drew comparisons with the legendary Shane Warne who had just retired from international cricket a season or so before. He was known to give the ball a fair rip and could generate a lot of turn as a leg spinner. It was the 2007-08 domestic season when Smith made his debut across formats. However, they were made to eat humble pie as the enigmatic man from New South Wales turned things around in sensational fashion to feature among the best batsmen in the world. Having made his name initially as a potential leg-spinner who could bat a bit, there was immense criticism, even among those in Australia over the quality of his selection during his early days in international cricket. It had led many to call for a Ben Foakes recall, but Stokes and Brendon McCullum stuck by their man, and how he repaid them.The best Test batsman at present, Steven Smith's career redemption is a story for the ages. The 33-year-old was a man under fire heading into this Test, with concerns over a number of dropped catches, missed stumpings and batting performances which had brought totals of 5, 10, 12, 16 and 20, after an impressive opening 78 in the first Test. This Test was so much better from England wicketkeeper Bairstow, both in his keeping and with the bat. Could that have turned a draw into a series-levelling win? Jonny Bairstow - 9 It cost England an extra hour bowling at least. To much surprise, he did not declare as James Anderson walked out with England's lead already at 209, before Jonny Bairstow moved from 41 to 99 not out. The question many are asking, though, is having declared a tad early in first Test defeat, did Stokes leave England batting too long on day three, with the weather forecasts in mind for days four and five? Image: Ben Stokes batted well again, but did he leave England batting too long on day three with the weather to come? ![]()
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