Tag: Steve Smith

LONDON: England’s premier batter Joe Root achieved another milestone on Friday by surpassing cricketing legends Rahul Dravid and Steve Smith with his 37th century during the third Test against India at Lord’s.

Root brought up the milestone on Day 2 of the ongoing Test, displaying his trademark fluency and calm under pressure.

With this hundred, he now sits fifth on the list of most Test centuries, going past Dravid and Smith, both of whom had 36, and edging closer to Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, who has 38.

Most Centuries in Test Cricket

• Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 51
• Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 45
• Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 41
• Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 38
• Joe Root (England) – 37*

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At the time of filing this report, England were 297 for 7 in the first session of Day 2 in their first innings, with Jamie Smith (25) and Brydon Carse (9) on the crease.

On the first day, England’s top order made starts but failed to convert. Zak Crawley (18) and Ben Duckett (23) were removed early, while Ollie Pope added a fluent 44.

Harry Brook struggled to get going and departed for 11, while captain Ben Stokes also fell for 44 after a watchful knock.

The five-match series is currently locked at 1-1. England drew first blood with a win at Headingley, but India stormed back with a massive 336-run victory in the second Test at Edgbaston, powered by Shubman Gill’s double ton and a century in each innings.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir

India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj

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GRENADA: Star batter Steve Smith is set to return as Australia has named its playing XI for the second Test against the West Indies, starting Thursday here at the Grenada National Stadium.

Smith, who suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, practiced in the nets for an hour on Wednesday.

However, Steve Smith will not field in his regular slip cordon position because of an injured finger.

“Fielding some balls in front of the wicket … will probably be the strangest thing for me, I don’t think I’ve ever done that in a Test match,” Steve Smith said on his return to the squad.

“Fielding at either mid-on, mid-off or fine leg, a bit different to standing at second or first slip, so I think that’s probably going to be the biggest difference,” the 36-year-old stated on his changed position in the field.

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Josh Inglis, who played in the first Test, will make way for Steve Smith, who will occupy the No. 04 spot.  Apart from one change, the rest of the lineup is unchanged, with Usman Khawaja and young batter Sam Konstas set to open the innings.

Cameron Green, the newly promoted number three batter, retains his spot despite scoring 3 and 15 in Bridgetown.

The bowling quartet remains unchanged, featuring Josh Hazlewood, who took a five-wicket haul in the opening match, alongside Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

For context, Australia led the three-match Test series 1-0 after securing a convincing 159-run win over the West Indies at Bridgetown.

The right-arm pacer Josh Hazlewood starred with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul that bowled out the West Indies for just 141 runs while chasing a challenging target of 301 on day three of the Test match.

Australia Playing XI

Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.

READ: Dominant Pakistan defeat Indonesia 2-0 in AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers

Former Australia T20I captain Aaron Finch has shared his excitement over the prospect of watching Pakistan’s Babar Azam bat with Steve Smith during the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) Season 15.

Earlier this month, the Sydney Sixers signed Babar as their direct overseas player for the full season of BBL 15 ahead of the players’ draft.

With Smith expected to be available for parts of the season, the possibility of the two batting together for the first time has cricket fans buzzing.

“How extraordinary,” said Finch while speaking on The Surge: Big Bash Podcast with host Adam White.

“Steve Smith, anytime he’s played in the Big Bash, he’s looked a class above everybody else.

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“Then you throw in probably the most beautiful batter in the world, Babar Azam… I’m sure they’re both looking forward to it as much as we are as fans.”

Aaron Finch believes that instances like these have the power to reignite a fiery sense of motivation, sparking renewed passion within even the most experienced players.

“Steve hasn’t played with Babar before anywhere around the world, so to get that opportunity, they’re the kind of things that keep you going when you’re getting towards the end of your career,” he added.

“I’m not saying for any moment that Steve Smith is towards the end, but as you get on, and you’ve ticked almost every single box, you get a lot of joy out of small things like that.”

READ: Former Indian pacer says Jasprit Bumrah is better than Wasim Akram

LONDON: Australia star batter Steve Smith was rushed to the hospital after injuring his finger while fielding at slip on the third day of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final here at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Friday.

The incident occurred in the 20th over when South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma was squared up off Mithcel Starc’s delivery. The ball went towards first slip at chin-height towards Steve Smith, who was standing at a very unusual position with the helmet on.

Steve Smith stood in this position because of the too many edges not carried in the match. Following the injury, Smith immediately started to run off the field.

The right-handed batter eventually walked off with the physios, looking in serious pain.

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According to the latest reports, Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed that Steven Smith has “suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger.

“He was assessed by Australian team medical staff at the ground and taken to hospital for X-rays and further treatment,” the statement said.

At the time of filing this report, South Africa were 130-2, with 132 more required for WTC glory with eight wickets in hand.

Aiden Markaram 61* and Captain Temba Bavuma 33* kept South Africa afloat in a 282-run chase.

Earlier, the Proteas lost their opener, Ryan Rickelton (6), in only the second over. However, Markaram and Wiaan Mulder forged a 61-run partnership.

The duo’s stand steadied South Africa, but not before Mulder’s wicket fell, as he was caught driving to covers. Mitchell Starc took his second wicket, ending Mulder’s gritty knock of 29 runs, reducing South Africa to 70-2.

Meanwhile, Aiden Markram kept finding the gaps with ease and helped his team in the hunt in the WTC final at the stroke of tea.

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Australia batting great Steve Smith is expecting a tough examination from the impressive pace attack of South Africa in this week’s World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s.

Reigning champions Australia, who beat India in the WTC final in 2023, are favourites against the Proteas in the five-day match, which starts on Wednesday.

“South Africa have a particularly good bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada, his record speaks for itself. Marco Jansen — they are a good side, they are here for a reason,” Smith said on Monday.

Rabada, 30, has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22, while Jansen, 25, has 73 wickets at 21.76 in his 17 matches.

But former Test captain Smith also expects conditions at Lord’s to favour spin bowling later in the game, which could work to the advantage of Australia off-break bowler Nathan Lyon.

“I think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on,” Smith added. “We’ve only been here a week, but I think it’s been a pretty dry start to the season over here.

“There hasn’t been too much rain, which is rare for England. It does look like quite a dry surface, and I think the footmarks will definitely come into play as the game wears on.”

Steve Smith has a superb Test record at London’s Lord’s ground, with 525 runs in five matches, including a double century and a hundred, at an average of 58.33.

“I’ve had a bit of success here,” said the 36-year-old. “It takes a bit of time getting used to the slope, one end thinking you are falling over, the other you feel a bit tall.

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“It’s a nice wicket to bat on, but if there’s a bit of cloud about and the balls swing around, it can get tricky.”

Several members of the Australian squad have not played much first-class cricket in recent months, but Smith was confident they would quickly find their rhythm.

“All the batters feel like they’re in a good place, so now we’re just excited to go out and play,” he said.

“Lord’s is a place we traditionally played pretty good cricket, so we’re excited about the prospect of coming up against South Africa.”

England have repeatedly emphasised how their long-term planning is designed to create a team capable of winning an Ashes series for the first time in a decade when they tour Australia in 2025/26.

But Smith said Australia were fully focused on the task in front of them.

“The Ashes is a big series, but you can’t look too far ahead,” said Smith, winner of the Compton-Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017/18 and 2019.

“You’ve got to keep playing each game as it comes. Every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line.

“That’s the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant.”

READ: Aiden Markram says South Africa woes ‘buried’ ahead of WTC final

Australia star batter Steve Smith has announced his retirement from ODI cricket after his side’s defeat against India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final.

Smith top-scored for his team in the semi-final, played in Dubai, with a solid 73-run knock; however, Virat Kohli’s 84 powered India to victory.

The 35-year-old batter represented Australia in 170 ODIs since making his debut against the West Indies in 2010.

For the unversed, Smith started his career as a leg-spinning all-rounder before evolving into one of Australia’s finest batters.

During a 15-year-long ODI career, he amassed 5,800 runs at an impressive average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96.

His tally includes 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries, making him the 12th highest run-scorer for Australia in ODIs. His highest score of 164 came against New Zealand in 2016.

With the ball, he claimed 28 wickets, while his sharp fielding saw him pouch 90 catches.

A member of Australia’s 2015 and 2023 ICC World Cup winning teams, Smith became ODI captain in 2015 and held the captaincy in his final match on an interim basis in the absence of Pat Cummins.

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Among his ODI accolades, Smith was the Australian Men’s ODI Player of the Year in 2015 and 2021 and a member of the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year in 2015.

Steve Smith, while reflecting on his decision, described his ODI journey as a “great ride” filled with “amazing times and wonderful memories.” Winning two World Cups, he said, was among the standout moments of his career.

“It has been a great ride, and I have loved every minute of it,” Smith said.

“There have been so many amazing times and wonderful memories. Winning two World Cups was a great highlight, along with the many fantastic teammates who shared the journey.”

“Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup, so it feels like the right time to make way.”

Although Steve Smith has announced his retirement from ODIs, he stressed that he is focused on Test cricket.

“Test cricket remains a priority, and I am really looking forward to the World Test Championship Final, the West Indies tour in the winter, and then facing England at home. I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage.”

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DUBAI: Australia captain Steve Smith revealed his thoughts on silencing the Indian crowd ahead of the much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against India here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium tommorow.

While speaking in a pre-match press-conference, Smith gave a cold reply when asked about silencing the Indian crowd.

“To be honest, I don’t really have a message. Just going out and playing, and hopefully, we can put on a good show,” he said.

When asked if India has an advantage of playing in Dubai, the Australian skipper admitted that the familiarity with the conditions could play a key role.

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“Maybe, I am not sure. India have played all games here, so they have seen what surface is doing,” he remarked.

“The whole square block is pretty dry, and having spoken to groundsmen, it’s just a dry surface.” Smith added.

Steve Smith further highlighted that the spinner’s role will be important in deciding the winner of all important encounters.

“The game’s probably won and lost how we play this spin, particularly in the middle overs, the way we get through there,” he explained.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“It’s going to be a challenge. I think that there’s going to be some spin by the looks of it, looking at the surface, and we’ve got to counter that. So we’ll see how we do that tomorrow,” the Australian skipper observed.

Smith acknowledged the absence of key Australia players but expressed confidence in the younger players to step up during this significant match against India.

“It’s good exposure for them to be able to play in an international tournament on a big stage.”

“I think they’ve handled themselves really well, so yeah, hopefully another good performance from the guys tomorrow and we can get into another final,” he concluded.

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LONDON: Australia star batter Steve Smith and Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan are among the marquee players set to feature in The Hundred 2025.

Smith, along with Australian women’s cricketers Meg Lanning and Megan Schutt, will feature in the upcoming 100 ball tournament, set to be played in August later this year.

Afghanistan’s spinner Rashid Khan is also among the players set to feature in the tournament through direct signings.

Australian run machine Smith will join the Welsh Fire for the tournament. This marks the first time in the tournament history that the teams have been permitted to sign one player directly ahead of the draft on 12 March.

Twelve Direct Signings have been confirmed on Deadline Day in The Hundred, with the eight teams finalizing their retentions and forming their squads ahead of The Hundred Draft.

Apart from Smith and Rashid, numerous international stars have joined the competition. The notable names are Marcus Stoinis, New Zealand’s Trent Boult, South African David Miller, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen.

New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, Kane Williamson, and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt had already been confirmed.

The above-mentioned players join a list of domestic and overseas retentions that includes England superstars Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Adil Rashid, plus Australia’s Beth Mooney, West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, and Australia’s Ellyse Perry.

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‘The Hundred’ fifth edition will begin with a London derby between London Spirit and Oval Invincibles on Tuesday 5 August.

The Hundred 2025 Squad Retentions

Birmingham Phoenix Women: Ellyse Perry, Amy Jones, Emily Arlott, Megan Schutt, Hannah Baker, Charis Pavely, Sterre Kalis, Ailsa Lister

Birmingham Phoenix Men: Liam Livingstone, Ben Duckett, Trent Boult, Jacob Bethell, Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Dan Mousley, Tim Southee, Will Smeed, Chris Wood, Aneurin Donald

London Spirit Women: Grace Harris, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Deepti Sharma, Georgia Redmayne, Eva Gray, Cordelia Griffith, Tara Norris, Sophie Munro

London Spirit Men: Liam Dawson, Daniel Worrall, Kane Williamson, Richard Gleeson, Olly Stone, Ollie Pope, Keaton Jennings

Manchester Originals Women: Amelia Kerr, Sophie Ecclestone, Beth Mooney, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Evelyn Jones, Kathryn Bryce, Fi Morris, Danielle Gregory

Manchester Originals Men: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Heinrich Klaasen, Matthew Hurst, Scott Currie, Josh Tongue, Tom Hartley, Sonny Baker, Tom Aspinwall

Northern Superchargers Women: Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith, Hollie Armitage, Alice Davidson-Richards, Grace Ballinger, Davina Perrin

Northern Superchargers Men: Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, David Miller, Mitchell Santner, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Ben Dwarshuis, Graham Clark, Pat Brown, Tom Lawes

Oval Invincibles Women: Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning, Tash Farrant, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Sophia Smale, Jo Gardner, Rachel Slater

Oval Invincibles Men: Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Tom Curran, Jordan Cox, Rashid Khan, Saqib Mahmood, Sam Billings, Gus Atkinson, Nathan Sowter, Donovan Ferreira, Tawanda Muyeye

Southern Brave Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Maia Bouchier, Lauren Bell, Freya Kemp, Georgia Adams, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Rhianna Southby

Southern Brave Men: James Vince, Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan, Faf du Plessis, Leus Du Plooy, Craig Overton, Laurie Evans, Finn Allen, Danny Briggs, James Coles

Trent Rockets Women: Ash Gardner, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alana King, Heather Graham, Bryony Smith, Grace Scrivens, Kirstie Gordon, Alexa Stonehouse, Natasha Wraith, Cassidy McCarthy

Trent Rockets Men: Joe Root, Marcus Stoinis, Tom Banton, John Turner, Sam Cook, Sam Hain, Tom Alsop, Calvin Harrison

Welsh Fire Women: Hayley Matthews, Tammy Beaumont, Jessica Jonassen, Shabnim Ismail, Sarah Bryce, Georgia Elwiss, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis, Emily Windsor, Beth Langston

Welsh Fire Men: Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, Luke Wells, Stephen Eskinazi

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LAHORE: Australia captain Steve Smith praised Pakistan batter Babar Azam and backed him to regain form ahead of their opening match against England in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Babar has been the Pakistani mainstay in the batting for over a few years and is currently struggling for form after a string of low scores. He last scored his ODI hundred back in Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal.

While addressing the pre-match presser, Smith hailed Babar Azam as a top-quality player.

“Babar Azam is a very skillful player; his technique is very good. He has not been scoring well for some time, which is part of the game. I hope he will regain his form soon,” said Smith.

He further expressed confidence in his team and backed them to do well, acknowledging the absence of pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc.

“We are pretty much relaxed and preparing for tommorow’s match. Although some of big players are not playing in this event but we are doing our preparation,” said the stand-in skipper.

He highlighted the England team’s performance, especially in white-balls; however, he said we know what we need to do in tomorrow’s match.

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“England is a good team, especially in White-balls, we know what to do in the encounter against them, we will announce our playing XI at the toss,” he said.

While answering the question regarding the Australian team’s dominance in ICC events, Smith stated that Aussies handle pressure very well.

“I don’t know about the reason behind success of the Australian team in ICC tournaments; I think our team handles pressure very well in these kind of tournaments,” said Smith.

Smith also acknowledged Pakistan’s warm hospitality, along with state-of-the-art facilities in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is beautiful, and the facilities and dressing rooms are top-notch. Pakistan’s hospitality is very good, and the people and food here are amazing,” concluded Smith.

For the unversed, Australia will lock horns against England tomorrow to win their first match in the Champions Trophy since 2009.

READ: Champions Trophy: Haris Rauf issues bold statement ahead of India clash

Australia captain Steve Smith has put his weight behind young batter Jake Fraser-McGurk heading into the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to commence on 19 February in Pakistan.

Fraser-McGurk is known for his explosive batting in domestic cricket, however, he has yet to replicate that in international cricket. So far, he has managed just 98 runs in seven ODIs at a dismal average of 14.

However, Smith has shown his faith in the young batter, highlighting his talent and ability to play big shots.

“Yeah, look, he’s obviously a very aggressive player,” Smith said after the series loss against Sri Lanka.

“He’s got all the shots around the ground, and I think it’s just about picking the right moments to play them.

“He hasn’t quite found his rhythm here, but he played a couple of nice shots, and we know the talent he possesses—that’s why he’s in this squad.”

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Steve Smith also shared his belief that the conditions in Pakistan could help Jake Fraser-McGurk regain confidence and play his natural game.

“He’s dangerous. I think the wickets in Pakistan potentially suit him, so yeah, I think he’s going to learn a lot just being around the group, continuing to work with all of us, as well as the coaches, and just talking about the game,” he added.

It’s worth noting that the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi.

Australia will kick off their campaign against England in Lahore on 22 February, followed by the clash against South Africa on 25 February in Rawalpindi, while their last group match is scheduled against Afghanistan on 28 February in Lahore.

Meanwhile, the season finale is scheduled on 9 March in Lahore, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai.

Australia squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

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