IND v AUS 2020: 'I didn't know I was playing today' - Steve Smith about his vertigo on the morning of the 2nd ODI

Australia batsman Steve Smith has revealed that he wasn’t sure of playing the second ODI against India at the SCG on Sunday (November 29), as he was down with vertigo on the morning of the game.

As it turned out, Smith smashed his second successive ODI hundred and helped the hosts take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

In an interview with cricket.com.au, Steve Smith recalled his morning experience when he woke up with vertigo and saw the world spin around him.

It was only after Dettol Support Staff doctor Leigh Golding gave Steve Smith Epley Manoeuvres – head twists to remove ‘ear rocks’ that form in the inner ear and cause vertigo – and he came early to the ground to warm up that he recovered in time.

“I didn’t know I was playing today. I had a really bad dose of vertigo this morning and I was struggling until...I came down early to have a hit and a bit of a run around. The doctor, I think he performed six Epley Manouvres on me this morning and got the crystals out of my ears and I was struggling for a bit,” Steve Smith said.

But one couldn’t make out his jitters from the way he batted and racked up his second consecutive 62-ball hundred (104 off 64 balls), and in turn bagged back-to-back Man of the Match awards.

Steve Smith termed the knock “really pleasing”, adding that he loves playing at his home ground.

“The fact that I could come out and play was really pleasing in the end. It didn’t look great there for a while. It was just nice to bat again on this wicket. I love playing here at the SCG. It’s a nice wicket for me. It suits my game and I thought Davey and Finchy were magnificent up top and enabled myself and Maxi to let loose,” Steve Smith elaborated.

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‘Steve Smith is placing the ball as well as anyone around the world,’ says Glenn Maxwell

Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell in action during the first ODI

Steve Smith added 136 runs off 95 balls for the third wicket with Marnus Labuschagne, before the latter forged an 80-run stand off just 45 balls with Glenn Maxwell to power Australia to their highest total (389 for 4) against India in ODIs.

Maxwell heaped praise on Steve Smith and said that the 31-year-old can both time the ball to penetrate the field and go for maximums with relative ease.

“He’s placing the ball as well as anyone around the world, and when he puts the foot down he goes, and he goes hard. He hits the ball into gaps, it’s like he’s hitting the ball straight over fielders’ heads, he’s picking his spots, he’s calculated and he just looks like he’s got so much time.

“A lot of the time you judge it by the way he starts his innings, and he’s started by hitting the middle of the bat consistently. He just walks across his stumps to just outside off and works it behind square, and he’s just got so much time and looks really calm at the crease at the moment,” Glenn Maxwell told cricket.com.au.

The hosts beat India by 66 runs and 51 runs in the first two ODIs respectively, with the dead rubber scheduled on Wednesday (December 2) at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.