- Monty Panesar suggested England should exploit Steve Smith's perceived guilt over the 2018 'Sandpapergate' scandal ahead of the Ashes.
- Smith, captaining Australia due to Pat Cummins' injury, responded by publicly ridiculing Panesar's 2019 appearance on Celebrity Mastermind.
- Panesar interpreted Smith's jibe as evidence that the ball-tampering incident still affects him, providing “ammunition” for the England team.
- Panesar fired back at Smith, advising England to use his reaction as a psychological tactic to make him “uncomfortable” during the opening Test in Perth.
- Beyond the verbal exchange, Smith also announced Australia's starting XI, which includes two debutants, Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald.
IN FULL