How a 'mental strength guru' guided Steve Smith from the despair of the sandpaper scandal to becoming Australia's Ashes hero
- Steve Smith opens up about the sandpaper scandal before the final Ashes Test
- He was banned along with David Warner for a year following the 2018 incident
- He credits his return to the field to his family and UK-based guru Maurice Duffy
- Smith scored three centuries, including a double ton, in three Tests he played
- Australia is leading 2-1 and the fifth and final Test will be played on Thursday
Ashes hero Steve Smith has credited a leading psychologist for transforming him from someone who considered quitting the sport after his suspension to being the man who steered Australia to victory over England.
Former captain Smith was banned along with David Warner for a year after batsman Cameron Bancroft illegally used sandpaper to rough up a side of the ball during a Test against South Africa in March 2018.
Smith was stripped of his captaincy after the ball-tampering scandal and broke down repeatedly in the press conference where he admitted his culpability.
Former captain Steve Smith who won the Ashes for Australia has opened up about the sandpaper scandal saying there was a time when he thought he wouldn't play again for the country
Having served the suspension, Smith returned to the side in brilliant style, scoring 671 runs in five innings at an average of 134 as Australia took an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series to ensure it retained the Ashes.
Smith, who is considered by many judges as Australia's best batsman since Don Bradman, has credited his return to the sport to his family and the UK-based mental strength guru Dr Maurice Duffy.
'Just my friends and family back home, really,' Smith told Channel Seven from London.
'They have been huge for me, a huge support base, and they are just really happy that I'm sort of back doing what I love.
'I have also worked with a guy over here in the UK named Maurice Duffy.
'He has helped me think about my mind and where my thinkings at...things like that which is really helped me go out and focus on what I need to do.
'For me, batting is 95 per cent mental and fortunately, I have been able to concentrate for long periods of time over here and that's a big reason that I have had the success over here.'
The cricket legend, who is now compared to Australia's best batsman Don Bradman for his stellar performance in England, credits his return to the middle to his family and the UK based mental strength guru Dr Maurice Duffy (pictured)
The former captain said he was feeling so desperate after the tampering scandal that he considered walking away from the sport.
'There was actually a moment where I didn't even know if I wanted to play again for a little bit,' Smith said.
'When I had my elbow operation I was not in a great place mentally and it was extremely strange. The day that I got my brace off my elbow it was like something just clicked into place.'
'It was just like...alright I am ready to play again. I wanna go back and do what I love and in just had this real hunger to go out and bat and spend time in the middle.
'I guess that probably shown over the last couple of weeks.'
Smith scored three centuries, including a double ton, in three Tests he played in the five-match series.
He has 10 Ashes tons, which is equal second with Steve Waugh for the most by an Australian.
He said: 'I just like going about my business and my job now is to score runs for Australia, and fortunately, I have been able to perform this series and I have spent a lot of time in the middle this series and it has been great fun.'
Smith's dream run at the Ashes however was not that easy.
Smith was banned along with David Warner after batsman Cameron Bancroft used sandpaper to rough up a side of the ball during a Test against South Africa in March 2018
Smith was stripped of his of his captaincy after the ball-tampering scandal
He was floored by a nasty bouncer from England fast bowler Jofra Archer in the second Test, with the ball hitting him in the neck in a disturbing reminder of the death of his former Australia and New South Wales teammate Phil Hughes, who died on the pitch after being hit in the same place during a domestic game.
'When I first got hit, it was like, "Am I okay here?" That was my first thought. It was a pretty good hit,' Smith said.
'The first thing that popped into my head was [Phil] Hughes, and we got hit in reasonably similar areas, and that was not fair that he did not make it through and I am OK.
'That may be a little bit sad at the time and then that went away over the course of the day and then I actually felt ready good.
'I was touching the area and I couldn't really feel any pain and I couldn't really feel any pain and I passed all my concussion tests, so I was OK to go out and bat, and later that night, I felt hung over, if that is a way to put it.
'I felt like I had half a dozen beers the night before without actually enjoying the beers.'
Smith returned to the fourth test match and scored a double ton to help Australia retain the Ashes on foreign soil for the first time in 18 years.
The fifth and final test of the series was due to start on Thursday.
Smith scored three centuries, including a double ton, in three tests he played in the four-match series. He has 10 Ashes tons, equal second with Steve Waugh for the most by an Australian
Smith, who missed the third test match after being knocked down by a bouncer, returned to the fourth test match and scored a double ton to help Australia retain the Ashes on foreign soil for the first time in 18 years
