Steve Smith responds to a tweet terrorising Australia batters
The Ashes 2023 is just a month away as Australia and England prepare themselves to face off in the first Test on June 16 at Edgbaston. However, the mind games ahead of the much-anticipated series have already begun. England speedster Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the entire English summer. A recurring elbow injury, which kept him out of action in 2022 as well.
Sharing the news of the English seamer’s absence from the squad, an Australian publication wrote that Archer terrorised Australian batters during Ashes 2019. Hence, Steve Smith and Co. can take a sigh of relief in his absence. Reacting to the news, Smith wrote a cheeky reply asking them to remind him when did Archer dismiss him.
Notably, Smith and Archer had an action-packed face-off during the second Test of the 2019 series at Lord’s. Smith copped several blows on his body before getting hit on his helmet by a vicious bouncer by Archer. It was an excellent exhibition of hostile fast bowling, and Smith had to retire hurt on 80 after getting hit
He returned to the crease 40 minutes later. Smith went on to score 92 before getting dismissed lbw to Chris Woakes. The Test match ended in a draw, and Smith missed the third Test.
The former Australia captain finished as the highest run scorer of the series. He scored 774 runs to his name from seven innings at an average of 110.57. On the other hand, Archer finished as the third-highest wicket-taker of the series with 22 wickets to his name at an average of 20.27.
The speedster also missed out on the last Ashes series down under in 2021-22, which England lost 0-4. Commenting on Archer’s absence, England managing director Rob Key said that it has been a frustrating period for the fast bowler and hoped that his luck would turn at some point of time.