Steve Smith Fires Unexpected Jibe at Monty Panesar Ahead of Ashes
On the eve of the first Ashes Test in Perth, Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith delivered a bizarre and surprisingly personal dig at former England spinner Monty Panesar, leaving cricket fans both amused and perplexed. The drama started after Panesar, who played 50 Tests for England between 2006 and 2013, suggested that England should make Smith feel guilty about his involvement in the infamous 2018 'Sandpapergate' scandal. Panesar urged England’s players, including Ben Stokes, to play on Smith’s past mistakes and rattle him before the series began.
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Smith’s response was anything but conventional. Instead of a direct rebuttal, he took aim at Panesar’s infamous 2019 appearance on the BBC quiz show Celebrity Mastermind , where the spinner’s general knowledge performance had been, in a word, disastrous. With a grin, Smith recalled Panesar confidently getting questions wrong, such as believing Athens is in Germany, Oliver Twist is a season of the year, and America is a city. “Anyone who’s seen it will understand where I’m coming from,” Smith said, clearly relishing the opportunity to turn the tables. “If you haven’t, do yourself a favour—it's pretty comical.”
Despite the apparent bite in his words, Smith insisted that Panesar’s comments “didn’t really bother me,” though his choice of attack suggested otherwise. The media room at Perth Stadium erupted at his recounting, and even Panesar later admitted that Smith’s jab showed the episode was still very much on the Australian’s mind. Panesar, ever the good sport, suggested that England could use the Mastermind story as “ammunition” during the series, turning the humorous exchange into potential psychological strategy.
The timing of Smith’s remarks was unusual. With the first Test set to begin, most players had avoided personal jabs, keeping the focus on cricket. Yet Smith, standing in for regular captain Pat Cummins, chose this moment to inject levity and controversy into the pre-match build-up. He also confirmed Australia’s starting XI for the Test, which included debutants Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett, and adjustments like Cameron Green moving to his usual number six spot. Marnus Labuschagne, rewarded for strong domestic form, returned at number three, while Beau Webster was dropped.
Smith, hinting at his strategy should Australia win the toss, suggested he would likely bat first, a move consistent with his past choices as captain. Meanwhile, England’s Ben Stokes expressed confidence in his team’s opportunity to make history despite their challenging record in Australia, saying their goal was clear: return home as Ashes winners.
As the Ashes 2025-26 series officially kicks off, the Panesar-Smith exchange has added an unexpected layer of drama. Beyond the runs, wickets, and strategy, fans now have a cheeky storyline of quiz-show humiliation turned cricketing banter to follow—proof that in Ashes cricket, the mind games can be just as fascinating as the cricket itself.
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