NEW DELHI: Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith has weighed in on the criticism surrounding England following the viral Noosa drinking video involving Ben Duckett.
The incident surfaced during England’s nine-day break between the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests, a phase where the visitors were already trailing 2-0 in the Ashes series.
The footage sparked widespread backlash, with former players and fans questioning England’s preparation and professionalism.
Speaking to reporters at the Melbourne cricket ground on Christmas Day, Smith struck a balanced tone, suggesting that such scrutiny is inevitable when a team is losing.
“When you're losing, the spotlight is always on you and things can get spoken about and get blown up pretty heavily. I feel for them, in a way. It can be tricky.”
Pressure magnifies every move
Smith acknowledged that touring teams often find themselves under intense observation, especially during extended breaks
“You're in a country where you know you can go out and about and enjoy yourselves,” he noted.
“Sometimes you've just got to get away from the game and try and put it out of your mind and relax for a little bit. I can see that's the kind of path they wanted to go down and I think it's fair enough.”
Ashes context adds fuel to controversy
England’s Noosa break came at a sensitive time, with the side under pressure after losing the opening two Tests convincingly. The viral video only intensified the narrative that England were distracted while Australia remained ruthless and focused.
