Steve Smith: The Most Unconventional Great Batter Explained

Steve Smith is one of the greatest Test batters in cricket history — and one of the most technically unconventional. His backlift angles toward gully rather than straight up. He steps toward leg before the delivery reaches him. He twitches and fidgets at the crease in ways that no batting coach would recommend. And yet his Test average sits above 58 — a figure that places him among the eight or nine highest batting averages in the format's 140-year history. Smith is living proof that batting genius does not require textbook technique.

The Technique No Coach Would Teach

Smith's technique is the subject of constant analysis precisely because it breaks so many batting orthodoxies. His backlift — the movement of the bat before the ball arrives — goes toward the direction of gully rather than straight up the stumps. His feet move before the ball is released in ways that should create gap-in-the-off-side vulnerabilities. He plays with a hard grip at the top of the bat, different from the soft lower-hand grip most top-order batters use. And yet against the best bowlers in the world, in all conditions, across a decade and a half, the technique produces hundreds, consistently, at a rate matched by almost no one in cricket history.

The Ashes Record — Australia's Bradman Reference

Steve Smith's Ashes record against England is exceptional even by his own extraordinary standards. He averages above 60 in Ashes series and has dominated English bowlers in England — conditions that challenge most overseas batters with Dukes ball swing and English pitches. His performances in the 2019 Ashes — following his return from the ball-tampering ban — were among the finest Ashes series batting exhibitions in the modern era. England were unable to dismiss him cheaply in any condition or on any pitch.

Sandpaper Gate — The Biggest Test of His Career

In March 2018 in Cape Town, the Sandpaper Gate scandal emerged: Australian players Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to alter the ball condition. Steve Smith, as captain, admitted knowing about the plan and accepted responsibility. He was banned for 12 months from international cricket and stripped of the captaincy. The ban was a profound personal humiliation for Smith, who had been Australia's most important cricketer for several years. He used the period to reflect, work on his mental health, and return with renewed perspective.

Return From Ban — The 2019 Ashes Comeback

Smith's return to international cricket at the 2019 Ashes was one of sport's most compelling comebacks. He had served his ban and acknowledged the seriousness of what had happened. On the field, he responded in the only way available to him — by batting at a level that silenced any remaining doubts about his quality. He scored two centuries at Edgbaston and was dominant throughout the series, winning Australia the Ashes on English soil for the first time since 2001. The performance confirmed that the ban had not diminished his exceptional ability.

IPL — Rajasthan Royals and Various Franchises

Steve Smith has played for several IPL franchises throughout his career, including Rajasthan Royals and Pune Supergiants (now defunct). His IPL record is solid rather than spectacular — his Test-match concentration and methodical approach translate into respectable IPL scores but not the explosive strike rates that define the competition's most sought-after batters. He is more valuable to Australia in Tests and ODIs than as a franchise T20 asset, a reflection of where his batting ability is most perfectly matched to the format's demands.