"At least isn't ball tampering" - Monty Panesar hits back at Steve Smith's jibes at press conference ahead of AUS vs ENG Ashes 2025-26 1st Test

Former England spinner Monty Panesar hit back at stand-in Australian captain Steve Smith's jibe at press conference ahead of the first Ashes Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Panesar admitted that he was gullible in his answers but roasted the veteran Aussie batter by stating that he can take a pride in not being a cheat.

With Panesar claiming in a recent interview that England should reignite the sandpaper-gate to try to throw Smith off his game, the New South Welshman didn't hold back. During the presser on Thursday, the right-handed batter brought memories of the former England cricketer's incorrect answers during his appearance on the quiz show 'Mastermind' in 2019.

Writing in his column for The Telegraph, the 43-year-old questioned whether Smith can look himself in the mirror after his role in the Sandpaper-gate.

"I simply cannot believe that the Australian captain on the eve of the Ashes brought up my Celebrity Mastermind performance from 2019. Yes, I know I had an absolute shocker that day. I got six questions right on my specialist subject, Sikhism and its history, then got only one question correct in the general knowledge round. It was terrible, I know it was bad. "However, at least I can hold my hands up and admit that. It’s bad knowledge, but at least it isn’t ball-tampering. I would actually ask Steve whether he can look himself in the mirror yet and admit that he was part of Sandpapergate, the worst example of Australian cheating in history."

Smith was notably the captain during Australia's Test tour of South Africa in 2018 when they formulated the plan to use sandpaper on the ball to gain reverse swing. After being caught, Smith along with then vice-captain David Warner copped a one-year ban each from competitive cricket. Opener Cameron Bancroft, who used the sandpaper on the ball, faced a nine-month ban.

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"Steve has just displayed a massive weakness and mental vulnerability" - Monty Panesar

Steve Smith averages over 50 against England. (Credits: Getty)

Panesar went on to warn that Smith might have given away a chink in his armour by confronting him and England will plan to expose it, adding:

"I cannot believe he has dug out the old YouTube clip of my shocker and memorised it word by word. I must admit I am delighted to have got so far inside his head, but if I am able to achieve that, imagine how much damage Ben Stokes and his side are going to be able to do once play starts in Perth? Steve has just displayed a massive weakness and mental vulnerability that, at this level of elite sport, you cannot afford to do. "Look, we are all cricketers at the end of the day and I had some great days playing for my country, but I also had some shockers. He has had a lot of great days playing for his country but he has had one very big shocker – that day in South Africa in 2018."

Meanwhile, England have won the toss in Perth and opted to bat first. At the time of writing, the visitors are 66/3 in 14 overs with Mitchell Starc accounting for all three wickets to have fallen.

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Edited by Sooryanarayanan Sesha