Brisbane, Australia - In the wake of Australia's dominant victory over England in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, Steve Smith has addressed the heated exchanges he had with Jofra Archer during the match. The incident occurred late on Day 4, with Australia closing in on a win and a 2-0 series lead.

With Australia needing just 65 runs to win, Archer unleashed a barrage of short-pitched deliveries at Smith, consistently reaching speeds over 150 km/h. After Smith pulled Archer for a boundary, words were exchanged. According to reports, Smith was caught on the stump microphone saying, "You bowl fast when there's nothing going on, champion". Archer responded with more short balls, one of which Smith top-edged for four. The two players then walked towards each other, exchanging further words. Smith ultimately had the last laugh, dispatching Archer for a six to seal the victory.

Following the match, Smith was interviewed about the confrontation. When asked about the exchange with Archer, Smith downplayed the incident, stating, "It stays on the field". He added, "It's good banter; he's a good competitor, he comes hard at you so it was good fun".

Smith's comments suggest that he views the exchange as part of the game, with no lingering animosity between the two players. However, the incident has sparked debate among cricket fans and pundits, with some viewing it as a sign of increased tension in the Ashes series.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting weighed in on the exchange, noting that Archer's aggression seemed to emerge only when the game was nearly over. "Jofra's finally come to life – six days into the series, when the second Test has gone, he starts chirping," Ponting said. He added, "Too late for that champ...Bowling quick now, when the game is over, good on you".

Adding another layer to the narrative, statistics highlight Archer's lack of success against Smith in Test cricket. Before the second Test, Archer had bowled 189 balls to Smith in Test matches without dismissing him.

The history between Smith and Archer dates back to the 2019 Ashes series, where Archer famously struck Smith on the head with a bouncer at Lord's. Smith was forced to retire from the match due to concussion. Despite this, Smith has generally had the upper hand against Archer in Test cricket.

Adding a bizarre twist to the saga, an old tweet from Jofra Archer resurfaced after the match. The tweet, from 2013, simply read, "Steve Smith 23 from 9". In Australia's second innings, Smith scored exactly 23 runs off nine balls.