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AUS vs IND: Gavaskar, McDonald differ on short ball ploy to Steve Smith

Steve Smith and the short ball has been a tale to tell ever since the last Ashes in England. Jofra Archer troubled him with the short ball in England and Neil Wagner roughed him up once again in Australia, even in IPL, a few teams tried the ploy. But Smith has said that he is ready to face the chin music against the Indian side.

Speaking on the same issue Indian great Sunil Gavaskar and former Aussie all-rounder Andrew McDonald have contrasting views. While Gavaskar thinks that no batsman likes to play the short ball, McDonald is of the view that Smith really doesn’t have the problem against the short ball.

“No one is ever ready for the short ball! A good short ball will trouble the best of batsmen. Nobody can say ‘I’m ready’,” Gavaskar told Sportstar.

The septuagenarian further said that India’s Mohammad Shami could prove lethal with the short balls against Smith.

“Mohammed Shami in particular has a fabulous bouncer. If he gets it right on target, then you can be pretty certain that not too many batsmen will be able to negotiate him. He is not very tall and his short ball will come skidding at you around your shoulder and head, and that’s the most difficult delivery to play. If his rhythm is right, he will not be an easy bowler to play,” Gavaskar said.

The Rajasthan coach, McDonald, under whose supervision Smith played this season’s IPL backed his countryman with the example of Old Trafford where the 31-year-old bounced back from the Lord's concussion with a double century at.

“Even in one-day cricket and T20 cricket, he's been able to score runs with that plan being adopted by opponents. So, I don't necessarily see it as a weakness ... they (India) can keep approaching it that way if they want,” he said.

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