&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "WATCH | 'Anyone who believes that America is a...': Steve Smith fires back at THIS former England spinner over 'Sandpapergate' scandal remark")
Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith has hit back at Monty Panesar’s remarks concerning his involvement in the infamous Sandpapergate scandal, ahead of the 2025 Ashes series. Panesar, the former England spinner, had earlier suggested that England should make Smith feel guilty about his role in the 2018 ball-tampering incident against South Africa. He recommended that the English team openly question Smith’s ethics, saying things like, "I don't think it's right that he's the captain; he hasn't played the game fairly."
When asked to respond to these comments during a press conference, Smith took a playful jab at Panesar, referencing his embarrassing appearance on BBC’s Mastermind in 2019, where Panesar struggled to answer basic questions. “I'm going to go off topic here. Who of you in the room has seen Mastermind and Monty Panesar on that? Any of you? Those of you that have will understand where I'm coming from. If you haven't, do yourself a favour because it is pretty comical. Anyone who believes that Athens is in Germany, Oliver Twist is a season of the year, and America is a city, it doesn't really bother me those comments. That's as far as I'll go with that one,” Smith was quoted as saying.
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Smith, who was banned for a year and stripped of the Australian captaincy following the Sandpapergate scandal, was at the center of the incident when Cameron Bancroft was caught trying to alter the ball with sandpaper. Smith, as captain, admitted to knowing about the plan, which led to a 12-month suspension for both him and David Warner. Bancroft received a nine-month ban. As the Ashes series approaches, Smith's retort to Panesar's comments is bound to add more intrigue to the much-anticipated battle between Australia and England, which kicks off on Friday (November 21) at Perth Stadium.
