Leg and off: Does Steve Smith deserve another chance in Australia's T20I side?
Here we go again with Steve Smith and his selection to Australia's T20I squad - words that seemingly do the rounds every two years. And yet, it is hard to discard the possibility after what we just witnessed from Smith - The batter and captain in the recently concluded 2024 Major League Cricket (MLC) season.
Smith led the Washington Freedom (WAF) to their maiden title in a thoroughly dominant fashion. His men finished atop the points table after losing only one of their six completed outings.
In the playoffs, the performances only went a notch higher as WAF bulldozed the San Francisco Unicorns (SFU) in the qualifier and the final to lift the trophy. Besides captaining the side with his incredible leadership qualities and tactical acumen, Smith led by example with the willow.
The champion batter finished as the tournament's second-leading run-scorer with 336 runs at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 148.67 in nine games. Smith saved his best for the last, scoring a match-winning 88 off 52 deliveries in the grand finale.
As the celebrations were ongoing, one could not help but think back to the recent T20 World Cup and whether Australia missed the services of Smith in their ranks. It is worth deliberating when the management thinks of the next cycle with the 2026 T20 World Cup in mind.
On that note, let us dissect the various factors to see if Steve Smith deserves another go in T20Is.
#1 Australia's T20 World Cup flop, David Warner's retirement, and Smith's MLC 2024 - Stars aligning?
![[Credit: Getty] Warner's retirement could be the opening for Smith'e T20I return](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/b46e8-17222467824991-1920.jpg?w=500)
If Steve Smith could have ever dreamt of a best-case scenario to return to the Australian T20I setup, the order would have been - The side enduring a dismal World Cup campaign, a spot in the top order opening up, and his performances being stellar in the immediate aftermath.
And surprise, surprise - all of the above happened in perfect chronological order. After Australia shockingly bowed out of the 2024 T20 World Cup before the semi-final, veteran opener David Warner confirmed his international retirement.
Just as it appeared that the talented youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk would be Warner's replacement, Smith bludgeoned runs for fun as an opener in the 2024 MLC season.
The perfection in which things have panned out makes one wonder if the stars have aligned for Smith to return to the Australian side in T20Is.
Verdict: Yes, Smith should replace Warner in Australia's T20I lineup
#2 Big 'No-No' on overall and recent T20I numbers
![[Credit: Getty] Smith has struggled with the bat in T20Is](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/28750-17222468950954-1920.jpg)
Unfortunately for Steve Smith, neither his overall nor his recent T20I numbers inspire confidence for a return to the Australian side. The champion batter averages under 25 at a below-par strike rate of 125.45 in 67 T20Is.
Even in stints as an opener, Smith has averaged only 21.50 at a sub-130 strike rate in four T20I innings.
All four innings were also his most recent ones after a return to the T20I squad late last year, and the average dwindles to 11.33 over his previous three stints with the bat in T20Is.
Verdict: Smith does not deserve a place in the T20I squad on numbers
#3 Been there and done that - A previously failed experiment
![[Credit: Getty] Australia selected Smith based on his sensational BBL 2022/23 form](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/e7649-17222469584218-1920.jpg)
Amidst the hoopla over Steve Smith's incredible 2024 MLC campaign, it is easy to forget the massive difference between a T20 league and T20Is.
While the former indicates short-term form mostly played on similar pitches and conditions, T20Is happen around the globe on contrasting pitches against higher-quality bowlers.
Australia must look no further than their previous similar experience to resist the Smith temptation. After they had moved on from the veteran batter in T20Is, the former captain hit a purple patch like very few in the 2022-23 Big Bash League (BBL) season as an opener. Smith scored 346 runs at an average of over 86 and a strike rate of 174.74 in five matches.
His performances sparked a return to the Australian T20I side for the away series against India late last year.
However, he flattered to deceive by scoring only the lone half-century in the next four T20I outings, resulting in him being excluded again from the recently-concluded World Cup.
Verdict: Australia must learn from a similar experience last year and not rush Smith back in T20Is
#4 Captaincy and big-match prowess could be added lifeline
While the overall T20I numbers and a previously failed experiment work against Smith, his lifeline could be captaincy. Australia can undoubtedly find better and younger short-format batters at this stage of Smith's career, but can they do the same for captaincy?
While Pat Cummins is arguably the best captain in world cricket, the Aussie management does not see him as a full-time participant in T20Is due to workload management.
Just when they thought they had the perfect leader for T20Is in Mitchell Marsh, the recent T20 World Cup poked several holes into that inference. The all-rounder performed poorly with the bat, committed several tactical blunders, and failed to inspire the troops.
On the other hand, Smith has pedigree and experience as an outstanding captain across formats. The recent Washington Freedom title run in MLC 2024 aside, he has led Australia in a staggering 104 games, including 8 T20Is.
Apart from his shrewd captaincy, Smith has also demonstrated time and again his ability to deliver in big matches.
With ICC events at the forefront of Australia's thoughts, who better than a two-time ODI and one-time T20 World Cup winner with umpteen clutch performances to right the wrong of the recent T20 World Cup debacle in 2026?
Verdict: Smith could return to Australia's T20I setup as the captain
#5 How the IPL and 2026 T20 World Cup connection hurts Smith's case
![[Credit: steve_smith49 Instagram handle] Smith playing in the IPL feels like ancient history](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/07/2e582-17222472254580-1920.jpg)
There is no question that whatever decision Australia makes with Steve Smith and his T20I return will have to do with the 2026 T20 World Cup in mind. And that could be the final nail in his coffin with the tournament played in India and Sri Lanka.
It makes the IPL performances potentially count double, with the conditions being similar to what the 2026 T20 World Cup will likely offer. Smith has not played in the last three seasons of the IPL, with his latest appearance coming in 2021.
Further worsening his chances is his mediocre T20I record in India and Sri Lanka. Smith averages only 24.72 at a strike rate of 117.24 across 14 T20I games in India and Sri Lanka.
It is unlikely Smith will find any suitors in future IPLs, and combining that with his lack of production on the Asian conditions in T20Is could relegate him from the Australian squad in the shortest format.
Verdict: Lack of IPL appearances and poor T20I numbers in Asia should keep Smith away from the T20I squad
In conclusion, Steve Smith's selection to the Australian T20I squad depends solely on the management's requirements.
If they have only the 2026 T20 World Cup in mind and have fixated on the captaincy option, Mitchell Marsh or otherwise, Smith's T20I return isn't warranted.
However, Australia could look towards the champion cricketer if an able replacement for David Warner and a proven captain dominates their thinking.
Final Verdict: Australia must return to Steve Smith in T20Is only if they also look to him as the captain for the 2026 T20 World Cup and not as a specialist batter.