Ashes 2019: Four reasons why England have failed to regain the urn

#1. Steven “run machine” Smith

Steve Smith's been super-human in this Ashes.

Steve Smith was one of the three players who was banned for a year due to the ball tampering saga in South Africa. He came into this series with no Test cricket for the best part of 18 months.

As expected, Smith was welcomed to the crease with lots of ‘boos’ from the hostile English crowd but he obliged them with hundreds in both the innings which helped Australia win at a venue that was not their happy hunting ground.

Steven Smith looked like he was never away from Test cricket as he went about his trademark 'shuffle across the stumps' and other mannerisms. He arrived to Test cricket with a bang.

After suffering a heavy blow on his head while facing upto Jofra Archer at Lords, Smith had to sit out the third Test after failing concussion tests. Ironically Australia lost the Test when Smith had to sit out.

It was expected to be another big battle with Archer at Old Trafford and the whole world was watching to see how the Australian would take the challenge. Smith was just as good as he tackled the short stuff pretty well and in the end went on to score a double hundred in the first innings.

If you take out Smith’s contribution with the bat for Australia, this series could have been a lot closer.