Steve Smith has reclaimed the No.1 ranking in Tests and he has now been on top for 167 Tests, only behind greats like Sir Gary Sobers and Sir Viv Richards.
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When it comes to modern batting in cricket, there are five players who dominate. Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Babar Azam are the five players who have redefined the art of batting. Virat Kohli is acknowledged as one of the greatest in the modern era when it comes to ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals. However, when it comes to Tests, Steve Smith holds a clear edge. The likes of Williamson, Root and Azam are holding their own when it comes to consistency. But, in a recent development, Steve Smith has established himself as one of the best Test players in this generation.
The ICC released a statement which stated that Steve Smith has now reclaimed the No.1 ranking after Kane Williamson’s poor run in the Lord’s Test against England. Having missed the Test in Edgbaston, Williamson dropped some rating points and that allowed Smith to reclaim the top prize. This despite the fact that Australia have not played any Tests since January 2021. But, it is the following statement of the ICC that has proclaimed Smith to be the ultimate Test great.
Smith has now been at the top of the batting rankings for 167 Tests, behind only Garry Sobers and Viv Richards who were No. 1 for 189 and 179 Tests respectively. Let that sink in! Smith is in a league that only the likes of Sobers and Richards have ever achieved. That itself is a claim to greatness.
Smith has been one of the greatest Test batsmen for a long time. In his career time, he achieved a lifetime high of 945 points in the ICC rankings. That was only 16 points behind the all-time high of Sir Don Bradman. Smith has been on the Test scene since 2010 but ever since 2013, he has been on a different pedestal.
After smashing a century against England at The Oval in 2013, Smith has been in fine form. From 2014 to 2017, Smith smashed 1146, 1474, 1079 and 1305 runs in the calendar year. It was in the year 2014 when he smashed four centuries against India. His tally of 726 runs was the main difference in Australia winning the series 2-0.
In 2015 and 2017, Smith smashed six centuries. The fact that he has gotten centuries in all the conditions and against tough bowling attacks has been sublime.
A glimpse at Steve Smith’s record against India and England is staggering. Against the old enemy, Steve Smith has 11 hundreds at an average of 65. Smith has hit at least one century in every Ashes series since 2013. In England, he has scored six out of his 11 centuries and averages 59.55. Against the moving ball, Smith has managed to tackle the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad expertly.
In 2015, he scored a double century in Lord’s and a century at The Oval to confirm his greatness. But, it was in the 2017/18 Ashes where Smith stood heads and shoulders above the rest. The right-hander hit a ton in Brisbane, a double century in Perth and a century in Melbourne to help Australia win the Ashes 4-0.
If England is a strong proposition, then India are also a fine side in the world. Smith has kept his best for India, scoring a century in every series that he has played in with the exception of 2013. Smith hit four centuries in the 2014/15 series. However, it was in the return series against India where Smith showed his class. On spinning decks in Pune, Ranchi and on a pacy deck in Dharamshala, Smith hit three centuries in India as Australia came close to ending their jinx.
Steve Smith hit a low point when the Sandpapergate scandal exploded in South Africa. Under his captaincy, Australia’s cricket culture was lambasted and his stint ended in tears. After being away from the game for one year, Australia missed his services tremendously. In the Ashes 2019, faced with a hostile crowd in Edgbaston, Australia and Smith were staring down the barrel.
But, the match saw the brilliance and mental fortitude of Smith. Australia were 122/8 but Smith hit a century to turn the match around. In a dazzling turnaround, Smith hit a century in the next innings as Australia breached England’s fortress of Edgbaston after 18 years.
Smith was hit on the side of the head by a pacy Jofra Archer bouncer and he collapsed at Lord’s. But, despite the concussion, Smith hit 92. After missing the Leeds Test, Smith returned to the Old Trafford match and hit his third double ton against England. Whenever Smith hit a century, Australia won and that was the prime reason why Australia could regain the Ashes in England after 18 years.
Smith still averages over 60 in Tests even after playing more than 50 Tests. That is a testament to his greatness. In the recent series against India, he had three consecutive single digit scores against them for the first time. Yet, he bounced back in grand style with a classy century in Sydney.
In 2021, Smith will face a stern test against England in the Ashes. With England desperate to work out a plan to combat Smith, his run-scoring against the English team might be curtailed. But, for the moment, Smith can enjoy the fact that he is sharing the space with legends on the cricket field. The latest Test rankings show how far Smith has evolved as one of the modern greats in Test batting.
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