3 reasons why Steve Smith is the best Test batter of this generation
After a tough outing in the opening Ashes 2023 Test at Edgbaston, in which he could score 22 runs across two innings, Steve Smith roared back into form at Lord's, as he notched up his 32nd Test century.
He came out to bat with Australia's scoreboard reading 96-2 and played another phenomenal innings under pressure in hostile conditions, shattering a number of records in the process and putting the visitors in control of the Test.
Steve Smith averages 87.24 when batting first in a Test, with more hundreds than any other player 😯
#ENGvAUS | #Ashes https://t.co/hA26HfYyVW
He scored 110 runs off 184 deliveries with the help of 15 boundaries. The English bowlers gave him a few freebies at the start of his innings and he cashed in on them. His brilliance helped the visitors post a total of 416 on the board in the first innings.
His knock was another reminder of the fact that he is by far the best Test batter of this generation, miles ahead of his competitors. Here, we look at three reasons which prove the same:
#1. Bradman-esque average
Steve Smith's average of 59.73 is simply phenomenal. He has played 99 Tests which means that the sample size is huge. The 34-year old is ahead of his competitors, Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson, in the longest format of the game.
Root averages 50.58 in 132 Tests, Kohli 48.73 in 109 and Williamson 54.89 in 94 matches. They all have good records but when it comes to Test cricket, Smith is in a different league altogether. In a recent interview with ICC ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, Kohli acknowledged the same.
#2. Has done well in all conditions
Steve Smith has mastered all conditions unlike some of his other competitors, who have failed in one or two countries. He averages 64.51 in Australia, 59.24 in England and 50.31 in India. The only country where his average is less than 40 is Bangladesh, where he has only played two Tests.
He has been remarkable in England, with the 2019 Ashes series a testament to his prowess in the conditions. In 2017, whilst all the others failed, he stood tall in the tough and trying pitches of India. Countries like Sri Lanka, South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand have also seen the best of the great man.
#3. Unmatched consistency
Since becoming a regular member of the Test side back in 2013, Steve Smith has been been churning out the runs on a consistent basis. In 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, he averaged 81.86, 73.70, 71.93 and 76.76 respectively. His average was over 70 in 2019 and above 50 in 2021 and 2022. The only two years in which his average went below his standards were 2018 and 202, two years in which he played very few games owing to different reasons.
This year too, Smith has an average of close to 50, which could get better given the form he's currently in. He smashed a century in the WTC Final against India and has now scored one in the Ashes as well.