On the eve of the Ashes, an unexpected clash arose between Monty Panesar and Steve Smith. The Australian captain used his press conference to bring attention back to the ‘Sandpapergate’ scandal, responding to Panesar’s remarks about playing mind games with him. Smith cleverly redirected the focus by referencing a humorous TV appearance of Panesar’s and downplaying the impact of the comments.
Having been involved in the sandpaper scandal in 2018 that led to his dismissal as captain, Smith is now back in charge for the first Test in Perth. Panesar, a former England spinner, responded to Smith’s remarks by highlighting their respective mistakes, with Panesar’s being a quiz show blunder and Smith’s occurring on the cricket field.
The Ashes series is set to kick off in Perth, with England likely opting for a pace-heavy bowling attack. Sky has announced a discounted Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming season, offering over 1,400 live matches, including at least 215 Premier League games.