Proteas pace great Dale Steyn has lauded Steve Smith for his unparalleled consistency in Test cricket following his return from 12-month suspension which he served for his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal.
Smith produced a series of batting masterclass during the recently held Ashes series against England. He scored three fabulous centuries to help Australia retain the urn on English soil for the very first time since 2001.
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Apart from his centuries (144, 142 and 211), Smith notched up the scores of 92, 82, 80 and 23 in the iconic series. In seven outings, the former Aussie skipper aggregated 774 runs at an astonishing average of 110.57.
"Steve has come...and with his technique that he's naturally developed, he's just confusing bowlers left, right and centre," the ICC website quoted Steyn as saying.
"I think he's a marvellous player. He's wonderful, he's got a great eye and a very difficult and weird technique to work out, which is working for him beautifully," he added.
In contrast, David Warner, who also made a comeback into the Test side after serving a year-long ball-tampering ban, managed to amass 95 runs at an abysmal average of 9.50 in the Ashes. England pacer Stuart Broad proved to be his biggest nemesis as he dismissed the southpaw 7 times out of the 10 innings.
Despite the awful series, Steyn opined that the left-handed opener shouldn't be dropped from the Australian Test side.
"He's one of the best batters I've ever bowled to," Steyn said. "He puts you under pressure from ball one on day one of a Test match. You have to take what he can give you with what can happen. In this case, he's been found wanting around the wicket against someone like Broady (Broad) attacking that off stump. Sometimes that can happen. But he'll get to Australia, he'll find some form, he'll be playing around his mates and around his home crowd and that can quickly change for him.
"World-class players don't become rubbish overnight, especially over one tour. He'll be fine. I wouldn't drop him at all. I'd leave it as it is," he continued.
