Steve Smith: Unorthodox Technique and Ashes Dominance
Steve Smith's extraordinary Ashes record, his unorthodox guard and backlift, the sandpaper incident and return, and why his unconventional method produces Test cricket's highest average since Bradman.
Steve Smith is the most prolific batsman in Test cricket since Sachin Tendulkar's retirement. With a Test average above 58 across more than 100 Tests — the highest for any active batsman and the highest for any player since Don Bradman — Smith's production has been extraordinary. Yet his method is spectacularly unorthodox: a high backlift, a guard on or outside leg stump, constant movement at the crease, and a distinctive pre-delivery trigger that confounds coaches attempting to replicate it.
Ashes Dominance
Smith's record against England in Ashes cricket is remarkable. In the 2019 Ashes, returning from a 12-month ban for ball-tampering, Smith scored 774 runs in 7 innings at an average of 110.57 — the third-highest aggregate in an Ashes series in history. England's bowlers Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad troubled him at times, but Smith adapted, scored centuries in multiple Tests, and was named Player of the Series. He had already dominated the 2017-18 Ashes whitewash before the ban.
The Sandpaper Incident and Return
- During the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March 2018, cameras caught Cameron Bancroft using sandpaper to alter the condition of the cricket ball. Smith and vice-captain David Warner admitted to knowing about the plan.
- Cricket Australia handed Smith and Warner 12-month bans from international cricket, plus bans from captaincy. Smith returned to Australian cricket in 2019, his technique and hunger apparently undiminished.
- Smith's public apology press conference in Australia was widely regarded as genuine, and public opinion gradually shifted back in his favour as his performances after the ban demonstrated continued excellence.
Frequently asked questions
What is Steve Smith's Test batting average?
Steve Smith averages above 58 in Test cricket — as of 2025, among the highest Test averages in history for players with more than 50 Tests. This places him second only to Don Bradman (99.94) among players with substantial Test careers. His conversion rate (50s to 100s) and ability to score on difficult surfaces are exceptional.
What happened to Steve Smith in the sandpaper incident?
Steve Smith was banned from international cricket for 12 months by Cricket Australia in March 2018 after admitting he and David Warner were aware of a plan to alter the ball using sandpaper during the Cape Town Test against South Africa. Cameron Bancroft was the player who applied the sandpaper. Smith also received a two-year captaincy ban. After serving his 12-month playing ban, he returned to international cricket in 2019 and was reinstated to the captaincy in 2020.