‘Motivated’ Steve Smith responds to Yasir Shah’s seven-finger celebration at Gabba

Steve Smith responds to Yasir Shah’s seven-finger celebration: The Australian batsman seems to be unperturbed with the infamous record.

During the third day of the first Test of the ongoing Pakistan’s tour of Australia in Brisbane, Australia batsman Steve Smith was out cheaply after he completely missed a ball from Pakistan spinner Yasir Shah.

Playing his first Test at home after nearly two years and also the first one after a phenomenal Ashes run earlier this year, Smith was expected to pile on the agony on the opposition especially after coming in to bat at No. 4 in the 101st over.

The rare failure saw Smith alluring limelight as he was out for the seventh time to the 33-year old Pakistani spinner. Yasir putting on display a “seven-finger celebration” further added fuel to fire with respect to the dismissal.

Yasir Shah has now dismissed Steve Smith seven times in Test cricket – and knows it! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/ykTqg1imIS

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 23, 2019

Steve Smith responds to Yasir Shah’s seven-finger celebration

Speaking to reporters in Adelaide where the second Test will begin from Friday, Smith opened up on getting “more motivation” because of the celebration. “It gave me a bit more motivation next game to not get out to him [Yasir Shah]. So, I will probably be a little bit more disciplined against him,” Smith was quoted as saying.

Elaborating on his seven Test dismissals against Yasir, Smith highlighted how he has also been out against him while slogging during second innings in the past.

“I feel the times he has got me out, I have been on a few runs. I have been slogging in a couple of second innings ones where I was playing some funky shots and stuff so I’m not too worried,” Smith said.

The 30-year old player didn’t hesitate in revealing that he punished himself after getting out cheaply by running back to the hotel rather than traveling in the team bus.

“I always punish myself when I get no runs, just like I reward myself when I score runs with a chocolate bar at the end of the night if I get a hundred.

“So yeah, if I get no runs I always like to have a run or go to the gym or do something just to give myself a bit of a punishment,” Smith concluded.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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