Australia’s star batter Steve Smith looks set to follow in the footsteps of former West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul by wearing ‘eye black’ strips on his cheeks during the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. Smith trialled the small black adhesive strips during a floodlit training session on Sunday evening, preparing for Thursday’s highly anticipated day-night, pink-ball fixture in Brisbane.
Smith, who has played 13 of Australia’s 14 previous pink-ball Tests, has historically struggled to replicate his red-ball dominance under lights. In day-night Tests, he has managed just one century in 24 innings, averaging 37.04, while his record in traditional daytime Tests remains exceptional, with 35 hundreds from 190 innings at an average of 58.31.
With the Gabba set to host the series’ first day-night encounter, all eyes will be on Smith and his eye black strips as he attempts to tackle one of the toughest challenges in modern cricket: mastering the pink ball under lights.
‘We Love Playing In Front Of Hostile Crowds…’: Steve Smith Looks Forward To Competing In An Intense Atmosphere During Ashes Series; Video
Australian star batter Steve Smith has shared his excitement and perspective ahead of the highly anticipated 2025–26 Ashes series, set to begin in November in Australia. Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, Smith praised England’s recent form while acknowledging the unique challenges they will face on Australian soil.
Reflecting on England’s performances in their recent series against India, Smith said, “I’ve watched a lot of the series against India and I think it was one of the best Test series I’ve seen for a long time. The cricket that was played by both teams was outstanding. So, I think England have a good side at the moment. They’re obviously playing a really aggressive brand of cricket, and I think coming down to Australia, particularly for their batters, it’s going to be a big challenge.”
Smith pointed to the difficult batting conditions in Australia in recent years, coupled with the home side’s world-class bowling attack, as a significant test for the visiting team. “I think the wickets in the last three or four years have been really tricky. We’ve obviously got a very experienced bowling lineup with guys that have played for a long period of time and been extremely successful. So I’m looking forward to the summer,” he added.
The 36-year-old also highlighted the return of full Ashes crowds as a major factor that will boost the series’ intensity. The last Ashes in Australia, during the Covid-19 pandemic, saw restricted travel and reduced atmosphere due to the absence of England’s famed Barmy Army supporters. “I know that last Ashes was during Covid-19 and the Barmy Army and stuff couldn’t come down. So the atmosphere is going to be entirely different. We love playing in front of big crowds and hostile crowds on both sides. So it’s going to be good fun,” Smith said.
With both sides entering the series with strong squads and plenty of confidence, the 2025–26 Ashes promises to deliver high-quality cricket, fierce competition, and electric atmospheres at iconic Australian venues.
