The Indian cricketer who constantly annoys Smith: 'He always manages to get under his skin'

Premier Australian batter Steve Smith has singled out Ravindra Jadeja as the Indian player who has caused him the most frustration on the field with his versatile skills that can turn the tide in his team's favor. India and Australia have engaged in fierce competition over the past decade, with India often coming out on top in red-ball series. Following their 2-0 triumph in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2014-15, Australia has struggled to defeat India in a Test series, suffering defeats at home in 2018/19 and 2020/21.

The Asian Giants have stamped their authority over Australia in the last four BGT - twice under Virat Kohli's leadership (2016-17, 2018-19) and one each under Ajinkya Rahane (2021) and Rohit Sharma (2023).

The two teams are all set to battle it out to prove their supremacy over each other, this time in five Tests series, later this year and hype for the BGT 2024/25 is already sky high.

Smith, who has been the backbone of the Australian batting line-up, was asked about picking the Indian player who annoys him the most, and he chose star all-rounder Jadeja for his ability to perform well in all three aspects of the game.

Speaking exclusively to Star Sports, Australian batter Smith said, "I get annoyed by Jadeja on the field, just because he is a very good player. He always finds a way to get in the battle, whether it is scoring runs, taking wickets, or making a great catch. It can be a bit annoying at times, but he's a very good player."

The former Australia skipper enjoys batting against India and has a great record with 2042 runs in 19 Tests at an astonishing average of 65.87, which includes 9 centuries.

Australia's pace bowler Josh Hazlewood backed Smith's choice, saying, "Probably Jadeja again."

Meanwhile, Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne found someone else amusing from the Indian side, and it was none other than Rishabh Pant, who is well-known for his behind-the-stumps antics.

"Triggered. I am going to save that for later, otherwise, I will have a whole bunch of Indian players coming after me. But the one I always find the most amusing is Rishabh Pant. He's always funny, a great laugh, and plays the game in the right spirit," he added.