Ashes: Steve Smith takes inspiration from Chanderpaul in bid to better his numbers in pink-ball Tests

Sports are all about learning from something or someone and getting better at your job, and Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith has taken a step forward in doing so from one of Test cricket’s greats, but differently. On the eve of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, Smith revealed how West Indian legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul entered into Smith’s process of improving his batting average in Pink-Ball Tests. Although Smith doesn’t need batting tips to stay at the top, he needed inspiration from one of Chanderpaul’s gears, which he will also don under the lights against England.

Smith made headlines in the lead-up to the Gabba Test by wearing anti-glare tapes under his eyes, something Chanderpaul used to do during his playing days.

So, what does that do, and how would it help any batter?

The eye blacks, small strips worn on the cheekbones, are designed to reduce glare from floodlights by absorbing it, which otherwise would reflect off the skin, making it difficult for a batter to concentrate. Although barring Chanderpaul, none of the players wore it during previous Day/Night games, Smith admits asking him about its effects and also the right way to wear them.

"I actually messaged Shivnarine Chanderpaul and asked him what his thoughts were, whether he wore the chalk or the strips," Smith said. "He said the strips, and he thinks it blocks out 65% of the glare. And he also said, 'I've seen photos, and you're wearing them the wrong way'. So yesterday I put them on the right way.

“I agree with him. I think it certainly stops the glare. Yeah, I'll be wearing them.”

The whole mantra is to get better

Smith is not known for scoring big in Pink-Ball Tests, averaging just above 37 (37.04), including one hundred, compared to his magnificent batting average in day matches (58.31 with 35 hundreds). Admitting how tough it gets to score under the lights and against the pink ball, Smith said, "It's hard to bat all the time. It's a tricky one. The ball reacts obviously differently to a red one. It can change quickly. It can start moving randomly.

"You've got to try and play what's in front of you at that time, and when it does shift on you, and the ball starts doing something different, you've got to try and come up with plans to counter that, whether it be more aggressive, whether it be going to your shell and trying to get through that period. Everyone's different. It's trying to be one step ahead when it does start to shift,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Smith-led Australia won the series opener in Perth inside two days, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.