news details |
|
|
| Last three years have been hardest I've experienced in my career: Steve Smith | | |
Agencies
AUSTRALIA, Dec 15: Australian star batter Steve Smith on Sunday said the last three years have been the most challenging of his illustrious career, thanks to Kookaburra changing their ball in 2020 by adding extra lacquer on a reinforced seam. Lacquer is a plastic layer that hardens the ball while a reinforced seam makes the red cherry firmer and allows it to move around more. However, Smith battled all these and more on way to a 33rd century on the second day of the third Test against India here. It was first Test hundred in last 18 months, a very long gap for a batter of his stature.
"Since 2021 when they changed the Kookaburra ball, batting has definitely got more difficult, particularly at the same time wickets got greener as well. So it's kind of like a perfect storm coming together," Smith said at the customary press conference at the end of second day's play.
He said the challenge lies in playing out the first 30-35 overs when the ball moves around a lot and with world-class bowlers such as Jasprit Bumrah operating, the job gets even more difficult for the batters.
"I think particularly the first 35 overs, I'd say, of an innings is very challenging at the moment with the significant seam movement. But then kind of, as I said before, I think the ball stays hard.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
