Steve Smith: The undisputed monarch of Test cricket
In his last five Test innings, Steven Smith has scored 82, 211, 92, 142 and 144. He averages a gargantuan 134.20 in 2019, and has emerged as the undisputed monarch of modern -day Test cricket.
Smith has already displaced Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli from the top of the rankings, and it seems likely that the pedestal is going to be his for a long time. His average of 64.81 in Tests is second only to Don Bradman, and he is the fastest to 26 centuries since the aforementioned batting divinity of Test cricket.
At first glance, Smith can make for an ugly spectacle. He shuffles across the stumps, is very fidgety at the crease, and his shots are not in the classical mold that make us appreciate the beauty of batsmanship. But his methods are effective; he has scored runs by the bucketful, and no bowling attack has been able to stop him.
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar summed up Smith’s batting very beautifully when he said, “Complicated technique but an organised mind-set is what sets Steve Smith apart.” And Tendulkar knows a thing or two about greatness.
Smith already has almost 7000 runs in Tests, and is marching on like an emperor. His appetite for runs is voracious, his hunger for success is insatiable, and his ability to vanquish challenges is unparalleled.
Cricket is supposed to be a team game, but Smith can proudly say that he has been the sole reason why Australia have gained the upper hand in the ongoing Ashes series.
Just 15 months ago, Smith's career was at a crossroads. He and his teammates were caught in what is now infamously referred to as ‘Sandpaper Gate’, and Smith was banned from international cricket for 12 months. He had even given a tearful press conference, and at 29, things appeared bleak for the Aussie.
But since returning from the ban, Smith has taken his batting to a whole new orbit.
Kohli and Joe Root were often mentioned as names to be taken in the same breath as Smith, but Smith’s recent run of ethereal scores just does not give any room for comparison. His Test average is more than 11 points higher than his nearest contemporary (Kohli averages 53.14 in Tests.)
The crowd in England booed him, but that only made him stronger. They taunted him, but that only made him more resolute. He has also provided answers to everything that the England bowlers have thrown at him.
The sport of cricket has seen many great comebacks. And Smith’s comeback from the 12-month ban is one that will be etched forever in cricketing folklore.
At the age of 30, Smith has the world at his feet. He has risen like a phoenix, and no one has been able to dislodge him from his perch. If he can continue to maintain his surreal run of form, he will take Test cricket to statistically new heights, and explore uncharted territories.
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