After the defeat against India in the semi-final of 2025’s Champions trophy, Steven Smith has decided to retire from ODI cricket. Steven Smith retires as a modern day ODI great of the game with 5800 runs at an average of 43.
Let’s look at some of the Career highlights of Smith’s ODI Career.
Debuting as a promising spinner
Steven Smith started his career as a leg spinner. In the initial part of his career, he mostly batted at no 8 or even below that, but with time, it became evident that he was a better batter than a bowler. With hard work and determination, he eventually earned a place in the top order for Australia and, after that, didn’t look back and retired as a modern day ODI great.
Also read: Does Steve Smith fit in the playing XI of Australia for the T20 World cup?
A monster in Odi knockouts
Steven Smith always reserved his best for the biggest of the matches his record in the ODI knockout matches has been remarkable. His 4 50+ scores in the ODI World Cup knockouts is the joint most, and his aggregate tally of 345 runs in the knockout matches of the ODI World Cup is the third best in the world. Even in his last match, which was a knockout match, he top-scored with 73 for Australia.
A triumphant return in the ODI format in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
The 2019 ODI World Cup was a litmus test for Australia of how good a team they were. They were whitewashed by England 5-0 just before the World Cup and were on a losing streak and no one was giving them a chance to be in the knockouts, but the World Cup came to the old Steven Smith fresh after serving his one-year ban in the sandpaper scandal Steve was the 2nd highest run-getter for Australia and even there was the highest run scorer for Australia in the semi-final against England which makes him a modern day ODI great.
A leader in difficult times
Steven Smith had been a leader for Australia in the difficult times. Be it after the 2015 World Cup, after which Michael Clarke retired and Australia needed someone new to take over, or be it this year’s Champions Trophy, where he has to lead a weakened Australia in the absence of Pat Cummins and all the first-choice Pacers. Still, with this weakened team, he made sure Australia chased down the highest total in Champions trophy history against arch-rivals England and helped them reach the semi-finals, which proves he wasn’t only a good batsman but a very good leader too and one of modern day ODI’s great.
Overall, Steven Smith’s ODI Career has been a very successful one. With two ODI world cups, one T20 World Cup, and 1 World Test Championship, the only silverware that was missing in Smith’s career was that elusive Champion trophy crown. It’s a shame that he wouldn’t get that title now, but it still doesn’t diminish his status as a great ODI great.
