AUSTRALIAN batter Steve Smith will adopt a slightly different look when he returns to bat for the second test of the Ashes.
The Aussie has confirmed he will wear black strips of tape under his eyes as he looks to captain his side to a 2-0 lead over England in the series.
SunSport brings you the reason why Smith is wearing the patches.
Why is Steve Smith wearing black tape under his eyes during the Ashes?
Smith is wearing black tape under his eyes while batting during the day-night Test at the Gabba to help him see the pink ball.
The legendary Aussie batter believes what is known as ‘eye black’ will reduce the glare when batting under floodlights in Brisbane.
Smith practised with the tape under the lights whilst preparing for the second Test against England and thinks they made a positive impact – once he put them the right way up.
“I actually messaged Shivnarine Chanderpaul and asked him what his thoughts were, whether he wore the chalk or the strips.
“He said the strips, and he thinks it blocks out 65% of the glare. And he also said, ‘I’ve seen photos and you’re wearing them the wrong way’. So yesterday I put them on the right way.
“I agree with him. I think it certainly stops the glare. Yeah, I’ll be wearing them.”
Former West Indies star Chanderpaul – who scored 11,867 runs in 164 Tests – regularly used black tape during his illustrious career.
Eye black is frequently used in numerous American sports such as baseball, American football and lacrosse.
Baseball icon Babe Ruth used eye black almost a century ago and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady was a convert, too.
