Johannesburg: Veteran South African pacer Dale Steyn has heaped praise on Steve Smith for his impeccable consistency in Test cricket ever since returning from one-year ban which he served for his role in the Sandpaper Gate fiasco.
Smith had an incredible Ashes series in England as he amassed 774 runs at a staggering average of 110.57 in the seven innings he played. In the process, he also surpassed India captain Virat Kohli as the top ranked batsman in the ICC Test Rankings in the process.
"Steve has come...and with his technique that he's naturally developed, he's just confusing bowlers left, right and centre," the ICC website quoted Steyn as saying.
"I think he's a marvellous player. He's wonderful, he's got a great eye and a very difficult and weird technique to work out, which is working for him beautifully," he added.
Steyn also backed David Warner who, unlike Smith, didn't have a great run in the five-Test series in England and said that the left-handed opener shouldn't be dropped from the side.
Warner managed to score just 95 runs from 10 innings and became bunny of Stuart Broad who dismissed him on seven occasions.
"He's one of the best batters I've ever bowled to," Steyn said. "He puts you under pressure from ball one on day one of a Test match. You have to take what he can give you with what can happen. In this case, he's been found wanting around the wicket against someone like Broady (Broad) attacking that off stump. Sometimes that can happen. But he'll get to Australia, he'll find some form, he'll be playing around his mates and around his home crowd and that can quickly change for him.
"World-class players don't become rubbish overnight, especially over one tour. He'll be fine. I wouldn't drop him at all. I'd leave it as it is," he added.
Steyn, who retired from Test cricket in August, recently signed with Melbourne Stars for this year's Big Bash League. He will be playing six matches in what will be his debut season in the Australian T20 league.
