Steve Smith Explained: The Unorthodox Genius of Modern Test Batting
Who Steve Smith is — Australia's best Test batter since Bradman, his extraordinary unorthodox technique, his return from a ball-tampering ban to score 774 runs in the 2019 Ashes, and why he averages 60+ in Tests despite a method most coaches would correct.
Steve Smith (born 1989 in Kogarah, New South Wales) is Australia's and arguably the world's best Test batter of the 2010s–2020s — with a career Test average above 60 that places him behind only Donald Bradman (99.94) among Australian batters in the format. A former leg-spin bowler who converted to batting, Smith's technique is deeply unconventional — his pre-delivery movement, bat position, and pick-up would typically be flagged as technical errors by any cricket coach — yet the results (more than 9,000 Test runs at 60+ average) make him impossible to dismiss as merely unconventional.
The Technique That Shouldn't Work
Smith's technique includes: an exaggerated leg-side trigger movement (he moves toward leg stump before the ball is released, opening his stance dramatically). His hands begin the delivery in an unusually high position. He shuffles and resets his position mid-delivery for virtually every ball — making his final position at contact unpredictable to bowlers who plan to hit specific lines. His backlift is initially directed toward gully rather than toward the bowler — a movement that suggests he will play across the line, yet he consistently plays straight. His footwork against spin is exceptional (he uses his feet more aggressively than most modern batters) despite beginning from an unusual initial position.
2019 Ashes: 774 Runs
Smith's 2019 Ashes series — his return from a one-year international cricket ban (sandpaper ball-tampering incident, 2018) — was arguably the greatest individual batting performance in a single Test series since Bradman. He scored 774 runs in the series across just 7 innings (he missed one Test with concussion after being hit by Jofra Archer's bouncer): centuries in 4 of his 7 innings; an average of 110.57 in the series. England's bowlers had no answer; Smith was dismissed cheaply only twice across a five-Test series. The 2019 Ashes is the standard by which Smith's greatness is measured.
Batting Against Spin
Smith's footwork against spin bowling is elite. Where many Australia batters (notably in recent Ashes and subcontinental series) have struggled against high-quality off-spin and wrist spin, Smith consistently comes forward to spin bowlers and drives through the off side rather than sweeping. His footwork takes him to the pitch of the ball, negating turn. In subcontinental conditions (India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan), Smith's Test average is lower than in Australian and English conditions but still considerably above 40 — exceptional for a technique built around the hard, pace-friendly wickets of Australia. His adaptability to different pitch types is central to his career sustained excellence.
Frequently asked questions
What is Steve Smith's Test batting average?
Above 60 career Test average (over 9,000 runs in 100+ Tests) — the second-highest average among Australian Test batters behind only Donald Bradman's 99.94. Among all batters with 50+ Tests, Smith's average places him in the top three to five all-time, alongside Don Bradman, Graeme Pollock, and Len Hutton.
What happened in the sandpaper ball-tampering scandal?
In March 2018, during a Test against South Africa, Cameron Bancroft was filmed using sandpaper to roughen the ball (to generate reverse swing) under instruction from captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner. All three were banned by Cricket Australia: Smith and Warner for 12 months, Bancroft for 9 months. Smith resigned the captaincy; the scandal was the most significant in Australian cricket since the 1980s and led to a comprehensive review of Australian cricket culture.
Why is Steve Smith's batting technique considered unorthodox?
He has exaggerated pre-delivery trigger movements toward leg stump; his hands begin high; his backlift goes toward gully; he shuffles and resets his position mid-delivery for almost every ball. These movements would typically be corrected by cricket coaches because they create technical vulnerabilities — yet Smith's results (60+ average across 100+ Tests) prove his personal adaptations work. His technique is now studied as an example of how individual solutions can outperform traditional coaching prescriptions.