Although he was initially selected for Australia as a right-arm leg-spinner, Smith later played primarily as a batsman. After playing five games from 2010 to 2011, he was called up to the Australian team in 2013 and took over the captaincy from Michael Clarke at the end of 2015. After that he played mostly at number 3 or 4.

Awards he has won include the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year) in 2015; ICC Test Player of the Year 2015 and 2017; ICC Men's Test Player of the Decade for 2011-2020; the Allan Border Medal for the best player in Australian cricket in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2023; Australian Test Player of the Year in 2015 and 2018 and Australian One Day International Player of the Year in 2015 and 2021. He was named by Wisden as one of their Cricketers of the Year in the 2016 Wisden Almanack.

In 2014, New Zealand batsman Martin Crowe described Smith as one of Test cricket's young Fab Four along with Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli. On December 30, 2017, he achieved a Test batting rating of 947, the second highest ever, only behind Don Bradman's 961.

In March 2018, Smith was widely criticized for monitoring and actively encouraging ball-tampering in the third Test against South Africa. He resigned from the team captaincy and was replaced by Tim Paine. Following an investigation by Cricket Australia, Smith was banned from all international and domestic cricket in Australia for one year from 29 March 2018 and banned from consideration of any leadership role for a further year.

Early and Personal Life

Steve Smith was born on June 2, 1989 in Kogarah, Sydney to an Australian father, Peter, who has a degree in chemistry, and an English mother, Gillian. Smith attended Menai High School and left at the age of 17 to play cricket in England where he played club cricket for Sevenoaks Vine in the Kent Cricket League. He did so well for Sevenoaks that he was chosen to play for Surrey's second XI.

As his mother was born in London, Smith has British and Australian citizenship. In 2011, Smith began dating Dani Willis, a Commerce and Law student at Macquarie University. In June 2017, the couple announced their engagement while vacationing in New York. The couple married on September 15, 2018 in Berrima, New South Wales.

Smith supports the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League.

Youth and Domestic Career
Smith in 2008

Smith was a member of the Australia team at the 2008 U19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia. In the tournament he scored 114 carries and won seven wickets in four games.

Smith made his first-class debut for New South Wales against Western Australia on 25 January 2008 at the SCG. He scored 33 goals in his only innings as New South Wales defeated Western Australia straight away. He was part of the New South Wales team that won the 2009 Twenty20 Champions League. In the final against Trinidad and Tobago in Hyderabad, Smith made 33 with the bat and won two wickets.

At the end of the 2009–10 domestic season, Smith had a first-class batting average of over 50 after 13 first-class matches. While his first-class bowling average was not that impressive in the high forties, his bowling seemed to steadily improve after being bowled many times by Shane Warne was supported and praised as a mentor. In the last game of the season he took 7 for 64 in the second innings against South Australia.

Big Bash League

Smith made his Twenty20 cricket debut for New South Wales in a match against South Australia in Adelaide on 1 January 2008 during the six-team KFC Big Bash competition. Smith was the leading wicket-taker at the 2008 Big Bash tournament. He took 4/15 against Queensland and finished with a total of 9 wickets. He was also named the second best player of the tournament. In 2011–12, the Australian T20 competition became the eight-team, city-based Big Bash League. Smith joined the Sydney Sixers and stepped in as captain when Brad Haddin was unable to play due to Test duties, and subsequently led the team to victory in the inaugural season. As an all-rounder, he hit 166 runs with the racquet from nine matches with a strike rate of 130.71, including half a century. With the ball, he took 6 wickets with a save rate of 8.06 per over. He also took nine catches throughout the tournament. In the last game, the Sixers beat the Perth Scorchers by 7 wickets while reaching the target of 157 in 18.5 overs after the Scorchers had taken 5/156 in 20 overs. Smith's good form during the Big Bash League caught the attention of former India captain Sourav Ganguly and was recruited to play for the Sourav Ganguly-led Pune Warriors India team in the 2012 Indian Premier League. Smith was also named captain of the team for one match while Ganguly was rested, although Australian captain Michael Clarke was the vice-captain. He continued playing for the same franchise under the management of Angelo Mathews in 2013. Smith returned to the Sydney Sixers in 2023 after missing two years in the Big Bash, returning to the BBL12. In his second game against the Adelaide Strikers he scored 101 runs off 56 deliveries as the Sixers won by 59 runs. In the next game, Smith scored 125* runs off 66 deliveries against Sydney Thunder.

Indian Premier League

Smith was first bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2010 Indian Premier League as a replacement for Jesse Ryder. He was bought by Kochi Tuskers Kerala for $200,000 during the 2011 IPL player auction but had to undergo ankle surgery and was unable to play for them that season.
The next season, Kochi Tuskers were dropped from the IPL and Smith was auctioned off. He was not sold at the 2012 IPL Players Auction but was later purchased by the Pune Warriors India to replace Mitchell Marsh. In his first game for his new team, he hit 39 runs with 32 balls to lead his team to victory over the Mumbai Indians. He receivIed the Man of the Match award for this performance.

At the auction for IPL 2014, Smith was bought by Rajasthan Royals for US$600,000. Steven Smith IPL was start at peak when he captained the Royals in the second half of the 2015 season and led the team to significant victories, earning his team a spot in the play-off portion of the tournament.

During the 2016 IPL auction, Smith was bought by new franchise Rising Pune Supergiants for the same price as the previous auction ($600,000) and struggled for form early on. Smith eventually broke a string of low scores against Sunrisers Hyderabad, posting 46*. His form continued as he registered his first T20 century against the Gujarat Lions, scoring 101 balls from 54. He then scored another 45 points against the Mumbai Indians before being sidelined from the rest of the tournament with a wrist injury.

Supergiant management dropped MS Dhoni as captain and named Smith as captain for the 2017 season. In RPS' first game against Mumbai Indians, Smith led his team to victory in style, scoring 84* and earning Man of the Match honors rewarded. However, three consecutive defeats left his team last in the points table. A streak of 8 wins from 10 games helped Supergiant finish second and qualify for the playoffs, with Smith earning praise for his captaincy from renowned cricketers and pundits such as Sunil Gavaskar and Kevin Pietersen. He led his team to the finals with a 20-run win over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 1. In the final, Smith's men met Mumbai again. He scored 51 balls from 50 but failed to lead RPS to victory. Pune lost the match by one run. Smith was RPS's top run scorer in the tournament, scoring 472 runs with a 39.33 average, including three fifties.

In February 2018 he was named captain of the Rajasthan Royals for the 2018 IPL. However, following his admission of involvement in the Australia Test team's ball-tampering controversy at the third Test in South Africa in March 2018, the team announced that Smith has stepped down from that role and Ajinkya Rahane has taken command as the new captain for the Rajasthan Royals team.

On 28 March 2018, after being banned from Cricket Australia for his involvement in a ball-tampering incident, Smith's playing contract with the Royals was terminated by the Board of Control for Cricket India as Steve Smith and fellow Australian batsman David Warner were banned from playing for their respective teams for the upcoming 2018 IPL edition.

In November 2018, Smith was signed by Rajasthan Royals for the 2019 Indian Premier League. After losing six of the first eight games of the season, Smith was named captain of the Rajasthan Royals, replacing Ajinkya Rahane. In the tournament, he hit 319 carries with a 39.87 average, including three fifties.

He went unsold in the 2022 IPL auctions.

Other T20 Franchise Cricket

In May 2018, Smith was named as one of the top ten players for the inaugural edition of the Global T20 Canada cricket tournament. On June 3, 2018, he was selected in the player draft for the inaugural edition of the tournament to play for the Toronto Nationals. In his first representative game since his ball-tampering conviction, Smith scored 61 runs from 41 balls alongside Anton Devcich as the Toronto Nationals won by six wickets against the Vancouver Knights. In the tournament, he scored 167 runs in six games at an average of 33.40, including two fifties.

In July 2018, Smith was named in the Barbados Tridents squad in the sixth edition of the Caribbean Premier League.

In September 2018, Smith returned to Australian club cricket by scoring 85 off 91 balls for Sutherland in a one-day match against Mosman. In October 2018, he was named as one of the fourteen Platinum category players for the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League.

In December 2018, Smith was named in the Comilla Victorians squad in the sixth edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. He played only two games in the tournament before returning to Australia for elbow surgery.

2010–2011: Debut and Early International Career

Steve Smith made his international cricket debut in a Twenty20 International match, playing as a leg spinner against Pakistan in February 2010 in Melbourne. That same month he made his One Day International debut against the West Indies, also in Melbourne, playing in the fifth match of the series.

In the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 competition, held in the West Indies, Australia placed second ahead of England. Smith took 11 wickets in seven games with an average of 14.81, becoming the second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament.

Smith made his Test debut at Lord's in July 2010 and played both Tests against Pakistan in the 2010 Test series in England. He was selected primarily for his bowling and batted against the order, although his bowling was not required in the first innings. In the second innings he took three wickets for 51 as Australia won by 150 runs. In the second Test, he only had to bowl ten overs and took no wickets, although he played an impressive role with the bat in the second innings. Batting with his tail, he scored 77, including nine fours and two sixes in succession, helping Australia to a competitive target after being bowled out for 88 in the first innings.

Smith's fielding drew attention in the 2009-10 season with some spectacular catches in the outfield.

In the 2010–11 Australian summer, Steve Smith made three Tests in the 2010–11 Ashes series, this time more as a batsman, and finished sixth in the standings. His performances have been solid throughout the series, getting a string of starts and scoring two half centuries. After the 2010/11 Ashes, Smith did not play another Test for two years, his next Test series coming against India in March 2013.

2013–15: Return and Breakthrough

Tour to India and Back-to-Back Ashes 2013-14

Smith's return to the Test team came during the 2013 tour of India. In the last two Sheffield seasons his form has been so-so, averaging 37, but he was selected for the 17-man squad, mainly as a backup batsman rather than an all-rounder like he had previously was on the test team. Smith was selected for the third Test at Mohali, his first in over two years when four players were dropped in a scandal known as Homeworkgate for "not doing their homework".

He scored 92 runs in his first innings of the match in India before being caught off guard by Dhoni after a delivery from Pragyan Ojha, and he managed 5 runs in the second innings. In the final friendly in Delhi, Smith made 46 and 18 runs respectively but Australia failed to win the friendly as India secured a 4–0 series win.

After losing to India, Australia's next series came in July against England in the British Isles. Although the squad for the 2013 Ashes was finalized in April, Smith was vice-captain of the Australia A-Team and was later called up to the main squad after showing promise at the Australia A-Tour to Britain in June, where he completed 133 runs against Ireland in Belfast but also as a backup batsman due to Michael Clarke's fitness concerns. He played his premier tour match with the main squad on July 2, 2013 in Worcester, and had 111 runs in both innings combined. In the first Test game at Trent Bridge, he made a half-century in his first innings but fell cheaply in the second innings when he took out Graeme Swann by lbw. While he had little impact at Lord's, Smith produced a century at Hove against Sussex on 27 July.

In the third Test, 2–0 against England, Australia moved north to Manchester's Old Trafford Cricket Ground, needing to win or draw to salvage the series. Smith made 89 and 19 runs, respectively, but the third Test match sparked controversy over on-field referee decisions and DRS (Decision Review System), resulting in Smith surviving twice and teammate Usman Khawaja being sacked. In the final Test, Smith scored his first Test century, which came in the first innings of the final Test of the series at The Oval and equaled the total in style by bowling Jonathan Trott with a six. He went undefeated at 138. Smith became just the sixth Australian to reach his first Test 100 with a six. At the end of the series, the urn was retained by England after winning the series 3–0. Smith played in all five Tests and hit 345 runs with a 38.33 average.

Smith stayed with the team for the first Test of the 2013–14 Ashes series in Brisbane. Although Smith started slowly in the first two Tests, he produced his first Test century on home soil in the third Test at Perth, scoring 111 balls from 208, which helped Australia display a 6–326 total on stumps on Day 2 to win later Testing the game and be named man of the match. During those innings at WACA, he decided to do a "preliminary back-and-forth motion" to counter short-pitch bowling and even overdid it, according to Smith: "I probably hit the middle and the leg and am." gone to the middle At this point...I've shifted things a bit towards the leg stump and now go straight out from the stump. Smith remarked, "Everything just clicked into place and it felt really good, so I just went with it." Despite his success in the first innings, he missed a pull shot in the second innings, the ball caught by reserve fielder Bairstow while bowling Ben Stokes at depth, and was dismissed for 15 of 50 deliveries.

In the fourth Test at the MCG, he was dismissed by Stuart Broad for 19, but made another century with 115 runs from 154 deliveries in the first innings of the fifth and final Test at the SCG. His 128-run partnership with Brad Haddin helped Australia reach 326 from 5-97 in the first innings and eventually win the Test match by 281 runs. The win in Sydney marked a 5-0 victory over Australia after a dismal 3-0 defeat in the winter of 2013. Smith made two centuries totaling 327 runs at an average of 36. Smith only played during the 2013–14 tour of England an ODI match, in the 4th ODI in Perth he scored 19 runs.

Tour of South Africa 2014

Three friendlies and three T20 games in South Africa were scheduled for Australia after a 5-0 win over England in the Ashes. At the first Test at Centurion, Johannesburg, Smith completed his fourth and first century in South Africa, where he and Shaun Marsh forged a 233-run partnership from 4-98. Smith was not needed in the second innings and Australia won the Test by 281 runs. The second Test in Port Elizabeth saw a slower pitch as Smith made 49 and a duck and South Africa leveled the series 1-1. In the crucial Test match in Cape Town, Smith made 89 runs in the first innings and didn't finish 36 in the second innings as Australia won the series 2–1.Steve Smith scored 269 runs at an average of 67.25, the third best in the series and the second best by an Australian, second to David Warner. Steve Smith scored 269 runs at an average of 67.25, the third best in the series and the second best by an Australian, second to David Warner.

Tri-Series in Zimbabwe and UAE 2014

In August 2014, during the five-month hiatus from cricket activities, a surprise selection was called up by Smith for the 2014 Zimbabwe Tri-Series. Smith had two ODI games in the last two years prior to the tour. In his first game against Zimbabwe, he was passed by Sikandar Raza. He scored in his participating games in his 30s, but only managed 10 runs in the final against South Africa on September 6, where South Africa went on to win the Tri-Series.

Later, the team traveled to the United Arab Emirates to face Pakistan in a T20 match, three ODIs and two Tests. In the first and only T20 match, Pakistan won the toss and managed 96 runs in the 20 overs, setting Australia's target of 97 runs to win. Smith scored three runs before being sacked. Despite this, Australia won by six wickets.

The T20 was followed by the three-match ODI series. In the first ODI at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Smith scored his maiden ODI century, scoring 101 runs off 118 balls to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the series. In the second ODI he managed 12 runs and in the third and final ODI he managed 77 runs off 105 balls to win the ODI match by one run. However, Steve Smith's catch against Fawad Alam during the game raised questions as to whether his catch complied with ICC laws. The incident occurred when Xavier Doherty was delivering the ball in the 18th over of Pakistan's chase of 231 and before Fawad made contact with his paddle swing, Smith had moved from first slip to leg slip to intercept the shot. The legality of the catch continued to be the main topic of discussion after the ODI series and thereafter ICC issued a press statement which said: "As long as the movement of a fielder taking a tight catch is in response to the actions of the striker (the shot he/she takes). If the ball is about to be played or is forming for play, movement is permitted before the ball reaches the batsman. If the umpires on that day consider that any form of significant movement is unfair (in an attempt to deceive the batsman), the law still applies." The victory saw Australia rise back to number one in the ICC ODI Rankings and Steve Smith was named player of the series for his batting performances.

Moving into the Test series, Australia continued to fail against reverse swing and subcontinent spins. In the warm-up game against Pakistan A in Sharjah, Australia lost by 153 runs with Smith making 58 but retiring. At the first Test in Dubai, Smith had 22 runs in the first innings and 55 runs in the second innings, but lost the Test match by 221 runs overall. In the second Test, Smith made a duck and 97 runs, but Australia's anti-spin concerns continued as Australia lost by 356 runs. In the series he had 174 runs for an average of 43.5 runs.

South Africa, India and World Cup success 2014-15

Returning from the subcontinent after their 2-0 Test loss to Pakistan. Smith played South Africa in the series where Australia beat South Africa 4-1 in the ODI series. He missed the first match because the selectors picked Shane Watson over Smith, but later attended the remaining games due to Michael Clarke's hamstring injury. He had 10 runs in his first game in Perth, but in subsequent games he hit 73*, 104 and 67 runs. His 100 in the 4th ODI at the MCG was Smith's first on Australian soil. Smith scored 254 runs with an average of 84.66, the highest Australian total in the series, and consequently received the Man of the Series award.

India came to Australia to play the Border Gavaskar Test match series and a Tri-Series ODI competition with England. The first Test was due to start in Brisbane on December 4 but was later postponed due to the death of Phillip Hughes. The first Test was later moved to the Adelaide Oval on December 9 and Brisbane would host the second Test on December 17. In the first friendly in Adelaide, the Australian players wore Hughes' No. 408 friendly cap on their match jerseys for the match, as well as black armbands in honor of their former team-mate. In the first friendly in Adelaide, Smith hit 162* on 298 balls in the first and 52* in the second innings, beating India by 48 runs on Day Five. This also marked Steve Smith's first Test century against India and at the Adelaide Oval.

On 15 December, Smith was named Australia's new vice-captain and, following an injury to Michael Clarke, was named stand-in captain against India, with Brad Haddin as his deputy. He made his debut as captain for Australia in the second Test match against India at the Gabba. He continued his batting form, scoring 133 runs in the first innings before being bowled out with a score of 28 in the second innings. Smith was named man of the match as Australia beat India by 4 wickets. Australia was then 2-0 in the series. In the Third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Smith made his third consecutive century in the first innings of the Test match, scoring 192 runs in 433 balls. He also scored his 1,000th. run in the 2014 calendar year and became the eighth fastest Australian to reach 2,000 Test runs, beating previous Australian captains such as Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting.

In the final Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Smith made his fourth consecutive appearance against India. This success brought Smith along with Don Bradman (6), Neil Harvey, Jack Fingleton and Matthew Hayden (4 each) as Australian centurions in four or more consecutive Tests, a streak which Smith began during the 1st Test in Adelaide. Smith also became the first Australian skipper to open his captaincy with three consecutive centuries and the second batsman since Jacques Kallis against West Indies to score a century in every match of a Test series. The Test match ended in a draw as Australia beat India 2-2. 0 in the series, bringing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy back to Australia. At the end of the Test series, Smith was awarded the Man of the Series award. He scored 769 runs at an average of 128.16, the highest total in a four-Test match series in Australia and also marked the highest number of runs scored against India by an Australian, surpassing Donald Bradman.

Following the Test series, an ODI tri-series involving India and England has been confirmed in preparation for the upcoming Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In his first ODI match against England in Sydney, he was dismissed by Moeen Ali after scoring 37 runs, but continued to provide runs in the following matches until the final against England. En route to the Tri-Series final, Smith was given his first ODI match as captain on January 20 after George Bailey was suspended for a slow over rate early in the series. Three days later, Smith scored his first ODI century against England with 102 runs in 95 balls; The victory saw Australia qualify for the final and later beat England to win the 2014–15 Carlton Mid Triangular Series in Australia.

Tour of the West Indies 2015

After winning the World Cup in March, Australia's winter schedule was later released as the Test team returned from their brief hiatus to their two series of Tests against the West Indies in the Caribbean. Due to IPL commitments, Smith missed Australia's first warm-up game against the West Indies Cricket Board President's XI on 27 May. He later joined the Test squad in the first Test match at Windsor Park, scoring 25 and 5 runs respectively. In the second Test game at Sabina Park, Smith steered Australia to a first innings score of 399 where he made 199 and became the eighth man in Test history to be sacked with 199. Australia later won the game positively, beating the West Indies by 277 runs in four days and retaining the Frank Worrell Trophy. Following his man-of-the-match performance against the West Indies in the second Test, Smith became the second youngest player ever to achieve the No. 1 ranking among ICC Test batsmen and only the eighth Australian to do so.

Ashes in England 2015

The 2-0 win over the West Indies gave Australia some momentum heading into the long-awaited Ashes series in the British Isles. While Australia's last Ashes tour took place in 2013, the emergence of England's Joe Root and Australia's Steve Smith set up a highly anticipated clash to see who was the better batsman in the upcoming series. With the Australians in good form and England drawing with New Zealand and the West Indies, it gave Australia some confidence heading into the countdown to the first Test in Cardiff. Smith started his first-class match positively with a century against Kent at Canterbury. He was rested for the second first-class match and in the first Test match in Cardiff, Smith scored 33 in both innings as England took a 1-0 lead in the series. In the Second Test at Lord's, Smith scored 215 runs in his first innings, his highest Test score, and became the first Australian to score a double ton at Lord's since the Second World War. His double century also took Smith to pass 3000 Test runs, making him the third youngest Australian to achieve the feat. He managed 58 runs in his second innings before Australia leveled the series with a 405-run win.

In the third Test at Edgbaston, Smith made 7 and 8 runs respectively, both rejected by Steven Finn, but Smith's low scores took England 2-1 in the series. In the fourth Test at Trent Bridge, Australia needed a win to draw the series. With cloudy skies and a green roof, Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to field. In the first innings, Smith was again dismissed cheaply by Stuart Broad with a score of 6, as Australia capitulated after 18.3 overs in the first session of a total of 60 runs - the fastest team ever bowled in terms of the number of balls faced was out in the first innings of a Test match.

In the second innings, Smith was again caught by Ben Stokes in the slips of Stuart Broad with a meager score of 5. England reclaimed the Ashes within three days, taking an unassailable 3–1 lead, and critics began to question Smith's performances in seaming conditions. In the fifth and final Test match at The Oval, Smith made his second century of the series, recording 143 runs off 252 balls before being bowled by Finn. Australia later defeated England by an innings and 46 runs. However, England regained the Ashes 3-2 after winning in Nottingham in early August, and later Australia's most senior players dropped out of the Test: Michael Clarke, Chris Rogers and later Shane Watson, Ryan Harris and Brad Haddin. In total, Smith scored 508 runs at an average of 56.44, the most runs scored in the series.

2015–2018: Australian Captain

Michael Clarke's retirement following Australia's 3–2 defeat in the 2015 Ashes series saw Smith appointed full-time captain of the Australia Test team. Fellow New South Welshman David Warner was appointed his vice-captain.

New Zealand, West Indies and Promotion to Captaincy 2015–16

Next came a three-Test home series against New Zealand. Smith's performance in the first Test in Brisbane was modest, scoring 48 and 1 as the team struggled for a win in a high-scoring game. During the second Test, Smith scored 27 in the first innings before breaking the shackles with 138 in the second innings. This was Smith's first second innings century; All previous centuries have been scored in the first innings of a Test match. Australia drew in the second Test. In the third Test, significant as the first-ever day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, Smith braved the difficult batting conditions to score 53 in the first innings before conceding 14 in the second innings. Australia won the game in a tough fight.

Shortly after the series against New Zealand, a three-Test series against the West Indies was scheduled to be played. During the first innings of the first Test, Smith fell behind for 10 and did not bat again due to Australia's dominance. The second Test was successful for the captain, scoring 134* and 70* in each innings to ensure Australia a series win. Due to the poor weather conditions, the third test was a failure as very little could be played.
In 2015, Smith was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year) and the ICC Test Player of the Year Award and was named ICC Test Team of the Year and ICC ODI Team of the Year by the ICC. In the same year he also received the Allan Border Medal, the Australian Test Player of the Year award and the Australian One Day International Player of the Year award. He was also named in ESPNcricinfo's Test XI of 2015.

Tour of New Zealand and 2016 T20 World Cup

A second half of the season with two tests against New Zealand took place in February 2016. Smith looked to be in top form, scoring 71, 138 and 53* in the three innings he batted in as the Australian team won 2-0.

During the 2016 T20 World Cup held in India, Smith struggled with form early on before scoring 61 in a must-win group game for Australia against Pakistan. Smith scored just two goals against India as Australia were eliminated from the tournament. It was suggested that Smith was incorrectly adjudged because he cleanly missed a ball that the umpires thought was square.

Tour of Sri Lanka 2016

Smith then led the Australian cricket team on their tour of Sri Lanka. The three-Test series was a disaster for the Aussies, losing 3-0. Smith was Australia's leading run-scorer in the series, scoring 247 runs at an average of 41, including a century and a fifty. In the following ODI series, Smith averaged over 40 in the first two matches before taking an early break.

ODI tour of South Africa 2016

Australia's disappointing form continued on their ODI tour of South Africa. They lost their first three games, largely due to their young bowling attack's inability to contain a strong South African batting line-up. Smith was disappointing in performance in the first two ODIs before scoring 108 off 107 balls in the third match as he and David Warner helped Australia to 371. Despite the high total, it was chased down by South Africa in the 50th over. Australia lost the 5-game series 5-0.

South Africa, New Zealand and Pakistan in Australia 2016–17

After the 0-5 ODI defeat in South Africa, the Australian team returned home for a three-Test series against South Africa. In the first Test, Smith made a duck and 34 runs, and Australia lost the Test match. In the second Test in Hobart, Smith failed to score 48 in the first innings, but the team capitulated, only managing a total of 85 runs and losing the Test. Following the defeat, criticism was leveled at Smith's captaincy and the team's performance, leading to the influx of young players such as Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddison for the final Test. After losing five Tests in a row, Smith scored 59 and 40 respectively and, in addition to his team efforts, won the day-night Test match in Adelaide. The win in Adelaide avoided a 3-0 defeat at home, as the 2-1 defeat was Smith's first home defeat of the series.

After the Test series against South Africa, New Zealand played three ODIs between the two Test series against South Africa and Pakistan. In the first ODI, Steve Smith recorded 164 runs at the SCG, marking the highest ODI score at the ground, surpassing the previous score of 162 set by AB De Villiers during the 2015 World Cup. He was named “Man of the Match”. In the second ODI he managed 72 runs and in the last ODI in Melbourne he was dismissed for a duck. The Australian team won the competitive Chappell-Hadlee Trophy 3-0 and returned the trophy to Australia.
Three Test series and five ODIs were scheduled for Pakistan. In the first Test in Brisbane, Smith managed 130 and 63 runs. His century in Brisbane marked his 16th Test century and his first against Pakistan. Although Pakistan were bowled out for a low score of 142 in the first innings, Smith's captaincy tactics elicited a mixed reaction from critics as the on-field umpires decided to extend the fourth day's evening session by another thirty minutes as they expected it that a result would lead to be determined. Pakistan scored a total of 450 in the fourth innings while Australia won by 39 runs. The second Test match took place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Smith later reached his seventeenth century, the fourth fastest ever, and also reached 1000 runs in the calendar year – his third consecutive success since 2014. Despite intermittent rain, Australia managed in the final session of the fifth An unlikely victory on the day that resulted in a 2-0 win for Australia. The final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground marked Steve Smith's 50th Test match as Australia beat Pakistan 3-0. After the win, he was named Man of the Series after scoring a total of 441 runs - the most in the series for either side.

Smith was once again named twelfth man for the ICC Test Team of the Year at the 2016 ICC Cricket Awards. In the ODI series against Pakistan, Smith had mixed results but played a crucial role as Australia later defeated Pakistan 4-1. On 19 January 2017, Steve Smith scored his 8th ODI century against Pakistan at the WACA Ground - making him the fastest Australian to reach 3000 ODI runs in 79 innings. After the home series, Smith was scheduled to play three ODI matches against New Zealand for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, but later suffered a mild sprain of the medial ligament in his left ankle and traveled to Dubai to prepare for the upcoming four-Test tour of India.

Tour of India 2017

After training at the ICC's Cricket Academy Center in Dubai, Smith began the tour of India with a century in their first warm-up match in Mumbai. He repeated his performance in the first Test in Pune, where he produced his first century in the Indian subcontinent, accompanied by the support of his bowlers, to win their first Test match in India since 2004 and extend India's 19-match unbeaten streak dating back to 2012 Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle and other Indian media rated Smith's third innings hundred in Pune as one of the best ever scored by a visiting player in India. The Wisden described Smith's ton as an impossible hundred on a minefield in Pune where all other batsmen from both sides struggled to get a decent score.

"Our pick for the best Test innings came when the world's best Test batsman defied form and a vicious pitch to produce a highly unlikely, match-winning hundred."
— Wisden on Smith's Pune Hundred.

In the 3rd Test match in Ranchi, the first ever Test match played at the venue, Steve Smith scored another century, 178 not out. This is the third highest score by an Australian cricketer in Test matches in India and the highest by an Australian captain. In the fourth Test at Dharmasala, Smith scored 111 in the first innings, helping Australia to a first innings score of 300. In the second innings, Smith bowled a ball to his stumps after scoring a quick-run and threatening 17 runs in 15 balls. Smith was the leading run-scorer in the series, scoring 499 runs at an average of 71.29, including three centuries.

Ashes in Australia 2017–18

In the first Test in Brisbane, Smith scored the first century of the series, 141*, which was his 21st Test century in his 105th innings - making him the third fastest player to score 21 Test centuries behind Donald Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar.

On 16 December 2017, Smith scored 239 in the final Ashes match at the WACA Ground. He quickly scored his 22nd century at the WACA, scoring his century off 138 balls, including 16 fours and a six, before converting it into a career-best 239. It was his second double hundred and his first as captain.

In the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne, Smith continued his outstanding form as he scored 76 in the first innings before being bowled by English debutant Tom Curran, giving him his first wicket in Test cricket. A series best of 244* by England's Alastair Cook then put Australia in a tense situation, leaving them 164 points behind at the start of the fourth day. Smith came into the game with 2/65 before lunch on a rain-affected fourth day, fought until the end of play on the fifth day and scored another goal. He finished with a defiant 102* from 275 shots, leading Australia to a draw and denying England victory, their first victory in Australia since 2011.

Smith finished the 2017 calendar year with six centuries and three fifties, along with an average of 76.76 and a total of 1,305 runs, the highest of any player that year. During the final Ashes match in Sydney, Smith reached the milestone of 6,000 Test runs in 111 innings, becoming the second fastest player and the youngest Australian ever to do so.

Smith received praise from opposition captain Joe Root for leading the team from the front and, in Root's opinion, Smith was the difference between the two teams during the 2017–18 Ashes series. Smith was the leading run-scorer in the series, scoring 687 runs at an average of 137.40, including three centuries and two fifties.

In 2017, Smith won the ICC Test Player of the Year award and was named ICC Test Team of the Year by the ICC. In February 2018 he received the Allan Border Medal and the Australian Test Player of the Year award.

2018: Tour of South Africa, ball-tampering incident and suspension
Tour of South Africa 2018

Smith was rested for the T20 series against New Zealand and England so he could prepare for the South African Test series. The series has been marred by controversial incidents on and off the field. Australia won the first Test by 118 runs, with Smith scoring 56 and 38 runs. The result was marred by a stairwell confrontation between Australia vice-captain David Warner and South Africa wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock. Footage emerged showing Warner had to be physically restrained after words were exchanged between the two. This resulted in Smith and opposition captain Faf du Plessis being called to a meeting with referees and match officials, where they were reminded of their responsibility to monitor their teams. South Africa won the second Test by 6 wickets, with Smith's contributions being just 25 and 11 runs. Smith's declining results with the racquet and his below-average batting average suggested he might be struggling a bit. During the game, South Africa fast bowler and Player of the Match Kagiso Rabada was suspended for the following Test after making physical contact with Smith after sacking him. Rabada successfully appealed the ban; a decision that angered Smith.

Ball-tampering Incident and Suspension

Australia lost in the third Test by 322 runs, with Smith barely contributing to the result. However, the game result was overshadowed by illegal ball manipulation on the third day. Cameron Bancroft, the second youngest and most inexperienced member of the team, was caught by television cameras secretly using sandpaper to roughen up the cricket ball. He then hid the sandpaper in his underwear before being confronted by the referees on the field. Attending the press conference at the end of Day 3 with Bancroft, Smith admitted that the team's "leading group" had discussed ball manipulation to influence the outcome of the game during the lunch break. He admitted to being part of the "leading group" but did not name the other members. Smith and vice-captain David Warner resigned from management the morning after the incident but continued to play, and wicketkeeper Tim Paine took over as interim captain for the remainder of the test match. ICC referee Andy Pycroft subsequently banned Smith from a test match and fined him 100% of his match fee. He gave Bancroft three demerits and fined him 75% of his match fee.

Cricket Australia launched an independent investigation and accused Smith of bringing the game into disrepute. He was suspended and sent home from tour. The report said that while Smith did not devise the plan, it was found that Smith misled match officials and others and that he did nothing as captain to prevent it. Therefore, he was banned from all international and domestic cricket for 12 months from March 29, 2018. He was also banned from considering any team leadership role for a further 12 months. Warner and Bancroft also received bans. Due to the sanctions, Smith's contract with IPL team Rajasthan Royals for the 2018 season was terminated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Smith arrived in Sydney on March 29. At a press conference at Sydney Airport, a tearful Smith initially said he had nothing to add to Cricket Australia's report. He said that as captain of the Australian cricket team he took full responsibility (even if he had no plan to change the condition of the ball or actually carry out the act) and that he had made a serious error of judgment: "It was." a failure of leadership, of my leadership.” He not only apologized to his “team-mates, cricket fans around the world and all Australians who are disappointed and angry,” but particularly noted the impact the incident had on him parents, and implored others facing questionable decisions to think about their parents. He added: “I know I will regret this for the rest of my life. I am absolutely disappointed. I hope that over time I can regain respect and forgiveness.”

2019: Return to International Cricket
World Cup England 2019

In April 2019 he was called up to Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. After missing the 2018–19 season, Smith was handed a national contract by Cricket Australia for the 2019–20 season. On 1 June 2019 Smith played Australia's opening Cricket World Cup match against Afghanistan at the County Ground in Bristol. On 11 July 2019, in the semi-final match against England, Smith hit 85 runs to become the second batsman, after Sachin Tendulkar, to score four 50+ points in Cricket World Cup knockouts. scored In the tournament, he averaged 37.90 on 379 carries, including four fifties.

Ashes in England 2019

In July 2019 he was called up to Australia's squad for the 2019 Ashes series in England. At the first Test at Edgbaston, Smith scored centuries in both innings, his ninth and 10th centuries of the Ashes and his 24th and 25th overall. Smith's first innings hundred was hailed by British media as one of his all-time bests as he returned from a year's suspension and tailed much of his innings in difficult conditions. His 25th came in his 119th inning, second only to Don Bradman (who took 69 innings). Smith also rated his first hundred innings at Edgbaston as his all-time best.

In the first innings of the second Test, his innings was cut short at 80 when he was hit by a 90 mph fast ball on the left side of his neck, below Jofra Archer's ear. He later returned to finish his innings after passing concussion tests and was bowled out lbw for 92. On August 18, 2019, the final day of testing, Smith was replaced by Marnus Labuschagne after further testing revealed that he had indeed suffered a concussion due to the previous day's blow. Therefore, following a change in International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, Labuschagne became the first player to be substituted in a Test match due to concussion. The concussion then ruled him out of the third Test, but that did not stop him from regaining the top spot in the Test batting rankings on 3 September 2019.

In the first innings of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Smith scored his third double century in Test matches and his third century in the series, becoming the first batsman to score 500 or more runs in three consecutive Ashes series.

Smith recorded his tenth consecutive Ashes fifty-plus score in the first innings of the fifth Test, breaking Inzamam Ul Haq's record for most consecutive Test scores over 50+ against a single opponent. He finished the series with 774 runs at an average of 110.57, by far the most on either side. Smith made three hundreds and three fifties. He was awarded the Compton Miller Medal as Man of the Series for the second year in a row.
British media and former cricketers rated his dominant batting performance in the series as one of the best batting performances in a Test series.

2019–2021: slump in form
Sri Lanka, Pakistan in Australia 2019–20

After keeping the Ashes in England, the Australian team returned home for back-to-back T20I series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In the first T20I against Sri Lanka, Smith didn't bat but made 53 not-outs and 13 in the second and third matches. Australia won the three-game series 3–0. Despite Smith not having to bat in the first and third T20I against Pakistan, Smith helped his valuable contribution of 80 in the second game not from Australia to win the match by seven wickets and win the T20I series 2-0.

Following the T20I series, Australia played two- and three-match Test series at home against Pakistan and New Zealand respectively. Unlike the previous Ashes tour, Smith barely contributed with the bat throughout the Test series against Pakistan, scoring 4 and 36 in the first and second games respectively. Despite this, Australia won the Test series 2-0, winning both games by an innings margin. During the second Test match of the series in Adelaide, Smith overtook Donald Bradman as the 11th highest run-scorer for Australia in Tests. Smith also became the fastest Test batsman to score 7,000 Test runs in his 126th innings, surpassing Walter Hammond's 73-year-old record (130 innings).

In the first day-night Test match in Perth against New Zealand, Smith struggled with scores of 43 and 16 and was dismissed in both innings for short-pitch bowling by fast bowler Neil Wagner. Australia won the first Test by 296 runs. In the second Test in Melbourne, Smith continued to find form as he scored 85 in the first innings before being dismissed again by Neil Wagner, denying Smith a record fifth successive run at the MCG. Although Australia bowled out New Zealand for 148 and gradually increased their large lead in the first innings, Smith was dismissed for 7 in the second innings, giving Neil Wagner his 200th Test wicket and the fourth dismissal of Smith in episode in the series. Despite this, Australia won the game comfortably by 247 runs and retained the Trans-Tasman Trophy. On the first day of the Melbourne Test, Smith also surpassed Greg Chappell's tally of 7,110 to move into 10th place as Australia's leading Test run-scorer. In the third Test, Smith reached the half-century mark again, reaching 63 from 182 balls, taking 45 minutes to reach the mark. Australia won the game by 279 runs, ending the Test series cleanly.

In a similar vein to Bodyline, developed by England in the 1930s to disrupt Bradman's scoring exploits and largely employed by Harold Larwood, New Zealand developed a range of tactics to curb Smith's scoring exploits. It involved Neil Wagner, a left-arm fast-medium bowler, bowling just ahead of Smith and trying to get him out caught on the leg side. The plan had good results: Wagner dismissed Smith all four times in Perth and Melbourne, but Colin de Grandhomme took Smith's wicket in the Sydney Test. Smith himself said after the first Test: "The pink ball is a bit different - it just comes off the wicket at different speeds... I couldn't get the ball quite where I wanted at certain times, but without a doubt I managed." I'll do a bit of (short-pitch bowling) in Melbourne, probably on a different wicket. We'll see how we do." Although Smith scored 214 runs from 5 innings at an average of 42.80 and an uncharacteristically low strike rate of 34.13 - who had a rate of 64 just three months earlier in the 2019 Ashes .71 per 100 balls – Australia managed to win all three Tests by a margin of over 200 runs, largely thanks to Labuschagne's batting prowess.

Tours of India and South Africa 2019–20

Australia traveled to India to play three ODI matches between January 14 and 19, 2020. Smith wasn't needed in the first game. In the second match, Smith came into the game at 1/20 and looked poised to reach another hundred, but was dismissed for 98 as he kept playing on his stumps from Kuldeep Yadav. In the third game, Smith made 131 off 132 balls as Australia reached a total of 286 in the 50 overs. However, Smith's hundred went in vain as India chased down the target in the 48th over and India won the series 2-1.

Australia traveled to South Africa to play three ODI matches and three T20I matches between February 21 and March 7, 2020. In the first match of the T20I series in Johannesburg, Smith top-scored with 45, helping Australia to a total of 196 wins by 107 runs. Sent in to bat in the third match in Cape Town, Australia managed 193 runs from their 20 overs, with Smith remaining not out on 30 off 15 balls. South Africa were eliminated by 96 runs, Australia won by 97 runs and won the T20I series 2-1.

Smith top-scored with 76 in the first ODI game, but the rest of the team managed only 134 and were bowled out for 217 in the 46th over. Smith failed to score any significant points in the remaining matches as Australia lost the ODI series 0–3.

New Zealand in Australia 2020

New Zealand returned to Australia after the Test series, with games scheduled to take place on March 13, 15 and 20, 2020. The first game was won by Australia by a margin of 71 runs; Smith is bowled out by Santner for 14. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2nd and 3rd games were canceled due to travel restrictions without a ball being bowled.

Tour of England 2020

On 16 July 2020, Smith was called up to a 26-man provisional squad of players to begin training ahead of a possible tour to England in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 14 August 2020, Cricket Australia confirmed the matches would go ahead, with Smith being included in the tour.

Smith's score was unremarkable in the three T20I matches. Between the last T20I match and the first ODI match, Smith was hit on the head while training and subsequently missed the first two ODIs. Smith felt the effects before the 3rd ODI and was again ruled out as he missed all three matches of the series.

The ODI series was followed by a three-match T20I series. Smith managed a respectable 46 points in the second game, but his results in the other games were nothing to write home about. Australia lost the series 1-2.

In November 2020, Smith was nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Cricketer of the Decade and the Test Cricketer of the Decade award.
Smith's poor form by his standards continued when he scored 1 and 1* in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide, Australia, winning the game after bowling India out for 36, their lowest score in tests. Smith scored 0 and 8 in Melbourne as India won by 8 wickets, in contrast to his previous seven Tests at the ground where he had averaged 113.50. Since the 2019 Ashes, Smith had averaged 26.40. Former Australian captain Ian Chappell noted: "He doesn't seem to be too comfortable on the crease because India have given him things to think about." A bit happened with Smith.

Smith broke his century-old 14-innings drought since the 2019 Ashes at his home ground in Sydney with a 226-ball 131 in the first innings. He then posted a 167-ball score of 81 in the third innings, helping India reach a target of 407 in the fourth innings. The game ended in a draw as the series ended 1-1.

In the fourth and final game of the series at the Gabba, Smith scored 36 in the first innings and top-scored for Australia with 55 in the third innings. Australia set India a target of 328 for victory. India won the match on the fifth day as they chased the target with three wickets remaining while Australia lost the series 1-2.

T20 World Cup in UAE 2021

Smith was ruled out of the tours to the West Indies and Bangladesh due to a left arm elbow injury - a recurrence of an injury that prevented him from playing domestic cricket for a month in February and March 2021. Trevor Hohns, Chairman of the National Selection Panel, said of the injury – “I can't tell you how long or how serious it is but he's had it before and it definitely flared up again while playing in the IPL... How long It's going to take a while for it to completely disappear." Right, I can't tell you at the moment... From our perspective, the main thing for Steven is to make sure he's ready for the T20 World Cup and of course the Ashes next year In August 2021, Smith was named to the Australian squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Smith played a 'floating position' in Australia's victory in the T20 World Cup. He scored 69 runs at a strike rate of 97.18.

In November 2021, after Tim Paine resigned as Test captain following allegations of inappropriate behavior in 2017, Pat Cummins was promoted to captain of the Test team, while Smith returned to a senior position at vice-captaincy. In the first Test in Brisbane, Smith fell to Mark Wood due to a "foul hit" and finished 12th.

Smith was captaining Australia in the second Test in Adelaide when Cummins was ruled out for the game because he was believed to have been in close contact with a person with COVID-19. Smith passed 50 in the first innings but was tied to a ball before the wicket on 93 by James Anderson, who kept him deep. In the second innings, Smith survived several chances (including a drop from Buttler on the first ball) but was out at 6 and had the glove down the leg side to Robinson. Smith had also taken his first Test wicket in six years, dismissing Jack Leach, who was caught by David Warner.
After the test, Smith said: “It brought back some old memories in a way and I had fun out there, but it's Patty's team. I'm the vice-captain and I'll help him as best I can. This is my task. Hopefully. “We can keep the momentum going for a fantastic Boxing Day Test.”

Tour of Pakistan 2022

Australia toured Pakistan in 2022 to play three Tests, three ODIs and a one-off T20I. Smith played during the three Tests but did not play in the ODIs and T20Is. This tour was Australia's first tour of Pakistan since 1998. Smith performed well against Pakistan, averaging 56.50 in 4 innings and reaching a top score of 78, but failed to break the dead and benign “ Pitch to full advantage at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium during the first Test, unlike his Pakistani contemporaries. During the series, Smith also became the fastest man to reach 8,000 Test runs, doing so in 151 innings, one less than previous defending champion Kumar Sangakkara and three innings quicker than Sachin Tendulkar. Smith was also the first person to achieve this feat with a batting average above 60 and he achieved 8,000 Test runs with an average of 60.1 at the time.

Tour of Sri Lanka 2022

In 2022, Australia toured Sri Lanka for three T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests. Smith did not play in the first T20I but played in the second and third games where he scored 5 runs and 37 runs off 27 balls in the second game and was not out in the third game. Smith finished the T20I series with a batting average of 42.0 and a high score of 37. Smith played during the first two ODI matches but was unable to play the last three due to a quadriceps injury. He scored 53 runs off 60 balls in the first game and 28 runs off 35 balls in the second game. He finished the ODI series with an average of 40.50, a high score of 53 and scored 81 runs in 2 innings.

Smith played in both Tests and scored 6 runs off 11 balls before being run out by Niroshan Dickwella. This mix-up had resulted in Smith losing his temper with his then batting partner Usman Khawaja and becoming visibly irritated. However, Smith states that there is no ongoing dispute between the two. Smith did not bat during the second innings as Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for 212 and 113, setting a target of 5 runs to win the match by 10 wickets. In the second Test, Smith scored 145 runs off 272 balls and remained not out. This was his first century since January 2021; a span of 547 days and his 28th Test century. However, during the second innings, Smith was dismissed with 0 and Australia collapsed as Sri Lanka defeated Australia by an innings and 39 runs. During the second inning, Smith had reviewed the umpire's original "out" decision, only to have the umpire's decision upheld. This review was described as “weird” and “appalling” by multiple news sources. Smith finished the Test series with 151 runs from 3 innings, an average of 75.50 and a high score of 145*. He was the second highest run-scorer in the series, behind Sri Lankan batsman Dinesh Chandimal.

T20 World Cup in Australia 2022
England and the West Indies in Australia 2022–23

In October 2022, Smith was named in the Australian ODI squad for the three-match home ODI series. He scored 195 runs, including two half-centuries, in three games at an average of 97.50 as Australia won the series 3-0.

In November 2022, he was named in the Australian Test squad for the series against the West Indies.

In the first Test in Perth, Smith scored 200 off 311 deliveries, his fourth double century of his Test career. Smith said after his innings: "I think from the first one-dayer against England, where I kind of implemented the work that I was doing, it immediately felt really good." He continued: "I suppose the reason for my slight change in technique is because I was unhappy with my stance when batting... But now I think with the way I can play and with the way, the way the teams played. "When I'm bowling against myself I have to adjust a little bit and where I am with my body and my hands I feel like I'm opening up the whole ground and not probably just behind the square the leg side, and I “I'm able to hit the ball in different areas, which I probably used to be able to do. So I feel like I’m in good hands.”

Home series against South Africa

In December 2022, Smith was named in the Australian Test squad as vice-captain for the home series against South Africa. In the Third Test on 5 January 2023, he scored 104 runs, overtaking Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke to become the fourth highest Australian Test run-scorer. This was also his 30th Test century, the third best by an Australian.

ICC World Test Championship 2023 Finals and The Ashes

In May 2023, Smith was named in Australia's squad for the final, scheduled to take place at The Oval, Kennington on 7 June 2023. During the final, Smith consolidated Australia's position in the first innings with a 285-run partnership with Travis Head, who ended the innings with 121 runs, marking his 31st century in Test cricket. With his contribution, Australia defeated India in the final by 240 runs and made Smith the first men's cricketer (along with David Warner and Mitchell Starc) to win the ICC World Cup, the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and the ICC World Test Championship.

Play Style

Smith is a right-handed batsman with a technique that has drawn attention for its unorthodoxy. He often moves in the crease, especially during the bowlers' run-up, and ends up with his toes outside the off-stump for right-handers. He controls the club with his bottom hand (i.e. the hand closest to the clubface). of the bat) and is capable of playing unconventional cricket shots such as the reverse sweep. In a club game in January 2010, the right-handed Smith took cover for the left-hander and hit a six. Due to his unorthodox style, Smith was initially labeled as a limited overs batsman who could struggle in the longer form of the game, particularly early in his career when he was vulnerable off stump. However, Smith compensates for his unique technique with excellent hand-eye coordination and concentration, and his footwork, particularly as a spin bowler, is exemplary. Smith spontaneously experimented with his technique during the Perth Test match in the 2013–14 Ashes, where he decided to make a "preliminary movement back and forth" to counter short-pitch bowling. With this change, his batting average increased from 33 in 2013 to 64.95 in 2019. In 2023, it is 58.61. At the time of delivery, Smith's stumps are completely covered, making a dismissal by bowling unlikely. This position also allows him to play on the onside or offside with ease.

Much of the credit for Smith's success also goes to hitting coach Trent Woodhill, who coached Smith as a junior and noticed his great talent. He has also defended Smith's unique batting style and has long argued that in Australia many naturally talented cricketers, who do not necessarily have orthodox technique, are let down by excessive coaching; In the years between leaving school and his promotion to international cricket, Smith's technique was turned on its head by a series of well-intentioned coaches. Since resuming his working relationship with Woodhill, Smith appears to have regained calm and confidence in his cricket, which has yielded results in recent seasons. Smith is also known for his concentration, being able to bat for long periods of time, even across an entire match day.

As a bowler, however, the comparisons to Shane Warne never gained traction after his rapid rise up the batting order (until he became captain and settled at 4). He was a good leg-spinner option early in his career, but was underused as he was described as a very defensive bowler.
When he captained Australia, he was initially dubbed the second "Captain Grumpy" since Allan Border at the start of his captaincy. He had to caution Mitchell Starc for unsportsmanlike conduct and was highly critical of Team Zealand's bowling and fielding in 2015 by over 200 runs, despite beating New Zealand. Later, in 2017–2018, he publicly criticized Glenn Maxwell's training program when Maxwell was left out of the Australian ODI squad. He was also criticized for having too much influence in team selection.

Smith is consistently ranked as one of the top-ranked Test batsmen in the world according to ICC Player Rankings.

Career Bests

As of January 2021, Smith has manufactured a total of 43 First-Class Century, 13 List A Century and one T20 Century. Of these, 27 of his First-Class Centurys came in Test matches and 11 of his List A Centurys in One Day Internationals. His best bowling numbers of seven wickets for the cost of 64 runs (7/64) were for New South Wales against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

Smith's highest score in Test and First Class cricket is 239 against England at the WACA Ground in Perth in 2017.

His highest score in ODI and List A cricket is 164 points against New Zealand at Sydney Cricket Ground in 2016.

His highest score in Twenty20 International games is 90 runs, which he scored against England at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff in 2015.

His only T20 Century, a score of 101, was for Rising Pune Supergiants against Gujarat Lions at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune in the 2016 Indian Premier League. The second was when he scored 101 off 56 balls against the Adelaide Strikers for the Sydney Sixers at the C.ex Coffs International Stadium and the third was against the Sydney Thunder for the Sydney Sixers at the SCG in the 2022 Big Bash League season– 23.

Records and Achievements

Fastest Australian batsman and sixth fastest batsman in the world to reach 10,000 runs in international cricket.

Fastest batsman to reach 7,000, 8,000 runs in Tests.

Joint second-fastest batsman (after Don Bradman), youngest Australian and fourth-youngest overall to reach 6,000 runs in Tests.

Only the second batsman to score more than 1,000 runs in Test cricket in four consecutive calendar years.

First batsman to score ten consecutive scores of 50 or more against a single opponent in Test history.

The second highest Test batting rating (947), behind Don Bradman's 961, was achieved on December 30, 2017.

Only player to win the ICC Test Player of the Year award more than once.

Second youngest batsman to top the ICC Test batting rankings.

Along with the most consecutive 50+ scores in World Cup history with five such scores in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

Jointly the most over 50 points (four) in cricket World Cup knockout matches.

During Australia's 2018 tour to South Africa, he equaled the world record by taking five catches in a Test innings as a non-wicketkeeper, becoming the 11th fielder to achieve the feat.

Youngest player to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year).

Fastest batsman after Donald Bradman (68 innings) to reach 25 Test centuries (119 innings).

Fifth player to win the Allan Border Medal more than once.

First cricketer to win the McGilvray Medal four times.

Named ICC Test Batsman of the Year 2010.

Fastest Australian batsman to reach 14,000 runs in international cricket.

First player to score a century in the Big Bash League for the Sydney Sixers. Smith scored 101 runs off 56 deliveries at the C.ex Coffs International Stadium in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales against the Adelaide Strikers in their 59-run win. He was also named man of the match.

Third player to win the Allan Border Medal four times, a record alongside former captains Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.

The least number of innings to reach 32 centuries in Test cricket, with 174 innings.

Awards

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year): 2015

ICC Test Player of the Year: 2015, 2017

ICC Men's Test Player of the Decade: 2011–2020

ICC Men's Test Team of the Decade: 2011–2020

ICC Test Team of the Year: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019

ICC ODI Team of the Year: 2015

Allan Border Medal: 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023

Australian Test Player of the Year: 2015, 2018

Australian One Day International Player of the Year: 2015, 2021

Compton Miller Medal: 2017–18, 2019

McGilvray Medal: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Steve Waugh Award: 2009–10, 2011–12

Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 2015

In Popular Culture

The Test, a 2020 English language Australian television documentary originally produced for Amazon Prime Video. The documentary was also co-produced by the Australian Cricket Board. The documentary follows the infamous ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town in March 2018 and how Australia is rebuilding its reputation in the wake of the scandal. Smith's redemption and his dominating batting performance in Ashe's 2019 after the scandal was one of the key points of the series.