Steve Smith gives crazy reply to Virat's Kohli's 'rubbish shot' sledge during 2023 WTC final

The World Test Championship final (WTC) continues to amaze as India require 280 runs to chase on Day 5 at the Oval in England. India ended Day 4 at 164-3. Australia scored 469 in the first innings and then kept India down to 196. Australia secured a 173-run lead.  In the second innings The Kangaroos declared at 270-8. India were set a target of 444 runs to win.

On another note, Justin Langer who is one of the commentators for the WTC final talked about what he called a 'magic moment' between Steve Smith and Virat Kohli. He talked about the incident when Kohli sledged Steve Smith and Smith responded in typical Smith fashion.  He talked about the incident on air when Virat Kohli was unbeaten on 44 in India's chase.

Steve Smith just looked at Virat Kohli -Justin Langer

Langer said that the event unfolded on the morning of Day 3 when he was conversing with Smith. Kohli walked past them and made a comment on the way Smith got out on Day 3. Then Langer was baffled by the way Smith reacted to Kohli's taunt. “Virat Kohli walked up to Steve Smith and said ‘rubbish shot yesterday’,” Langer said during commentary for Channel 7. Smith looked to charge at a ball from Ravindra Jadeja he looked to hit the ball to midwicket, but he mistimed it and it went to the fielder at cover.

“Steve Smith just looked at him. If anyone else would have said it he would have gone ‘whatever’. But he said, “that’s right, it was a rubbish shot’. If 99.9 per cent of the population said that to Steve Smith, he would go ‘whatever’. But coming from Virat, one genius to another, he goes ‘OK, fair enough’.” Langer added. Kohli and Smith have admired each other's craft over the years and have had immense respect for each other.

Smith showed why he is a man for the big occasion as he scored a pristine 121 off 268 balls with nineteen fours which floored the Indian bowlers. The right-hander has scored 8947 runs in Test cricket at an average of 60.05 and at a strike rate of 53.81. With a very good conversion rate, Smith has made 30 fifties and 37 hundreds in red-ball cricket.