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Former England captain Nasir Hussain believes Steve Smith remains an enigma to be solved, given his impressive numbers in Test cricket. The 55-year-old believes his century against India at Kennington Oval in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) showed that nothing much has changed.
Smith, who has been a thorn in England’s road for several years now, scored a gutsy hundred against India to seal a massive win. The 34-year-old has an average age of 60.71 for English and 59.69 for English.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Hussein noted that Smith finds a way regardless of the opposition’s plans against him.
“Nothing has changed, as we saw in the first innings at the Oval against India. Just because he was leg three before in county cricket doesn’t mean he’s suddenly walking foot. He’s got and he’s only making hundreds. It’s still a puzzle that everyone’s trying to solve, and that’s it.” The reason is that his stats are exceptional.”
The veteran 96-Test stressed the need to get David Warner on the cheap, given he could quickly get the game out of England. For England, Hussain expects Jonny Bristow to do well in the series.
“David Warner is very important to Australia. He can take matches away from England but if they get him on the cheap they could get Labuschagne and Smith on 20 for two instead of 150 for two and that could be key. Bat and gloves. It will be keeping him under the microscope with Leave Foakes out.
Bairstow made his one-off return against Ireland after nine months out due to a leg injury. The Yorkshire cricketer did not bat against Ireland, but kept wicket for the England team.
“He stuck to his word every step of the way” – Nasser Hussain on Ben Stokes refusing to play for a draw.
The former right-hander also felt Stokes would not play for a draw and expected him to come up with more unorthodox advertising in the Ashes.
“He stuck to his word every step of the way after initially telling Ian Ward on Sky he wouldn’t play for draws and telling me I could hold him for it. Whether McCollum would tap him on the shoulder on that final day and say ‘Let’s just win the Ashes’ I don’t know.”
“But they have been consistent in saying that making Test cricket entertaining is the bigger picture, so I think Stokes will announce in those
He predicted the outcome of the five test series, explaining:
“3-2 but I don’t know which way it’s going! I’m going to England but Australia won the World Test final for some reason. They’re a very good team. It could be a special series.”
England have not kept an Ashes pitcher since 2015 and will be keen to break the drought.
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