Steve Smith: The Modern Genius of Test Cricket

Cricket is a sport that has seen its fair share of legends. From Don Bradman, whose numbers bordered on the unbelievable, to Sachin Tendulkar, the heartbeat of a billion dreams, to the likes of Sir Viv Richards, Sir Garfield Sobers, Graham Gooch, Kallis, Ponting, and Steve Waugh—giants of the game who defined their eras. But every now and then, a player emerges who doesn’t just walk the well-worn path of greatness but instead forges his own.
Steve Smith is one such player.
He wasn’t supposed to be here—not as a batting giant, at least. When he arrived in the Australian side in 2010, he was a leg-spinner who could bat a bit. He was a replacement for the legendary Shane Warne, and few saw him as anything more than a handy cricketer. He played at No. 8 on debut versus Pakistan, and while there were flashes of promise, the world wasn’t prepared for the transformation that would follow.
By 2013, whispers of his potential grew louder. By 2014, he was unstoppable. And by 2017, he had become the world’s best Test batter, a title he would hold for years. Smith didn’t just play Test cricket—he redefined it.
The Unorthodox Genius
Everything about Steve Smith’s batting defies convention. The extravagant shuffle across the stumps, the exaggerated “NO RUN” leaves, the fidgeting at the crease—it looks chaotic. Remember the funny gesticulation with Ishant Sharma in the 2017 BGT ? But therein lies the genius. Cricket is a game of rhythm, of timing, of confidence. And Steve Smith, in his own peculiar way, has mastered all three.
What sets him apart is his ability to play late, his hand-eye coordination, and his sheer mental fortitude. Bowlers have tried everything—pace, swing, seam, spin, short-pitched stuff, full deliveries aimed at his pads—but nothing has consistently worked. If Bradman had his invincible aura, the hardened Aussie Smith has his own—an unshakable presence at the crease that makes getting him out feel like an impossible task.

The Ashes 2019: A Masterclass for the Ages
If there was ever a series that encapsulated peak Steve Smith, it was the 2019 Ashes. Smith was coming back from a ban (“SandPaperGate”) and England threw everything at him—Jofra Archer steaming in at 150 kph, Broad and Anderson moving the ball both ways, left arm tweaker Jack Leach trying to exploit any hint of weakness against spin—but nothing could stop him.
His scores in the series: 144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80, and 23.
774 runs. Three centuries. One double hundred. An average of 110.57.
He scored 35.5% of Australia’s total runs in that series. That wasn’t just domination—it was an annihilation. A spectacle where one man took on an entire bowling attack and made them look ordinary.
Even Jofra Archer, who bowled one of the most fearsome spells in recent memory at Lord’s, couldn’t dismiss him. Smith was struck on the head and was ruled out briefly from that innings and even the subsequent test ; but when he returned, he carried on as if nothing had happened. That’s Smith for you—resilient, unshaken, always ready for battle.
The Pune Epic – Defying India in Their Fortress
Before the ill fated South African tour of 2017-18, Smith was an absolute beast in the test arena. India in India is cricket’s toughest challenge. And in 2017, on a raging turner in Pune, Steve Smith played one of the greatest Test innings by a visiting batsman. His 109 off 202 balls was a masterclass in technique, temperament, and sheer willpower.
Every delivery spat off the surface. Ashwin and Jadeja were relentless. But Smith stood tall, as if playing on a completely different pitch. Australia won that match, breaking India’s 19-match unbeaten streak at home. And Smith had once again shown why he was different from the rest. He went on to have a fabulous series by scoring 499 runs at 71.28, with three centuries.
The King of Consistency
Smith’s greatness is not just in his peaks but in his sheer consistency. Unlike many batters who struggle away from home, he thrives everywhere.
- Home Average: 59.70
- Away Average: 54.81
These are Bradmanesque batting numbers of modern day test cricket. They highlight his ability to adapt, to grind, and to conquer any conditions. Whether it’s the seaming decks of England, the bouncy tracks of Australia, or the dustbowls of India, Smith finds a way to score.
After his knock against Sri Lanka at Galle, his tally of Test tons stand at 35 and puts him ahead of icons like Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Charles Lara. And with every passing game, he just seems to keep setting the bar, higher and higher.
Beyond Test Cricket – A Complete Champion
While Smith’s Test exploits have defined his career, his greatness extends beyond the longest format. He has lifted both the ODI World Cup (2015, 2023) and the T20I World Cup (2021), proving that he is not just a red-ball genius but a true all-format legend.
His knock in the 2015 World Cup semifinal against India—105 under pressure at the SCG—was a masterclass in control and temperament. And in the 2021 T20I World Cup, his ability to anchor the innings was pivotal in Australia’s triumphant run in that tournament.
10,000 Test Runs – A Milestone for the Ages
On 29th Jan’25, Steve Smith joined an elite club—the fifth-fastest batter to 10,000 Test runs and the fourth Australian after Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting to reach the milestone.
From being a leg-spinner to a No. 8 batter, to now standing alongside the greatest batters in history, his journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Steve Smith is not just a batter; he is an experience. Watching him bat is watching a master at work—calculating, adjusting, dominating. There’s no one like him, and perhaps there never will be.
In the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, Steve Smith faced intense pressure after a dismal start in the first Test at Perth, where Jasprit Bumrah got the better of him. However, in a testament to his remarkable resilience, Smith rose from the ashes like a phoenix, as he has done so often throughout his illustrious career. He finished the series on a sublime note, amassing over 300 runs, including two stellar centuries. The second of these masterful innings came in the iconic Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a performance that will be etched in the memories of cricket enthusiasts for years to come.
For every bowler who has tried to outthink him, Smith has always been two steps ahead. For every cricket fan who has doubted his unorthodox style, he has answered with weight of runs. Cricket has seen legends. Cricket has seen greats. But few have rewritten the script like Steven Peter Devereux Smith.
Here’s to one of the greatest Test batters the world has ever seen.
Congratulations on 10,000 Test runs, Steve Smith. The journey isn’t over yet, but what a ride it has been!