Steve Smith (cricketer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steve Smith

Smith in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Steven Peter Devereux Smith
Born	(1989-06-02) 2 June 1989 (age 36) Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia
Height	176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg break
Role	Top-order batter
International information
National side	Australia (2010–present)
Test debut (cap 415)	13 July 2010 v Pakistan
Last Test	12 July 2025 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 182)	19 February 2010 v West Indies
Last ODI	4 March 2025 v India
ODI shirt no.	49
T20I debut (cap 43)	5 February 2010 v Pakistan
Last T20I	25 February 2024 v New Zealand
T20I shirt no.	49
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2007/08–present	New South Wales
2010	Worcestershire
2011/12–present	Sydney Sixers
2012–2013	Pune Warriors
2014–2015	Rajasthan Royals
2016–2017	Rising Pune Supergiant
2018	Barbados Tridents
2018	Toronto Nationals
2019	Comilla Victorians
2019–2020	Rajasthan Royals
2021	Delhi Capitals
2023	Sussex
2024	Washington Freedom
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 119 170 67 182 Runs scored 10,477 5,800 1,094 15,102 Batting average 56.02 43.28 24.86 53.74 100s/50s 36/43 12/35 0/5 52/64 Top score 239 164 90 239 Balls bowled 1,470 1,076 291 5,365 Wickets 19 28 17 72 Bowling average 53.05 34.67 22.17 51.65 5 wickets in innings 0 0 0 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 3/18 3/16 3/20 7/64 Catches/stumpings 201/– 90/– 41/– 295/–
Medal record Men's cricket Representing  Australia ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 2015 Australia & New Zealand Winner 2023 India ICC T20 World Cup Winner 2021 UAE & Oman Runner-up 2010 West Indies ICC World Test Championship Winner 2021-2023 Runner-up 2023–2025 {{{3}}}
Source: CricInfo, 15 July 2025

Steven Peter Devereux Smith (born 2 June 1989) is a famous Australian cricket player. He used to be the captain of the Australian national team in all three types of cricket games. Many people think he is one of the best Test batsmen ever, having scored over 10,000 Test runs.

Smith has been a key player in Australia's big wins. He helped Australia win the 2015 and 2023 Cricket World Cups. He also played a part in winning the 2021 T20 World Cup and was vice-captain when Australia won the 2023 World Test Championship.

He started his career in 2010 as a leg-spin bowler who could also bat. But soon, his batting skills became very clear. After playing a few Test matches as a bowling all-rounder, he became a main batsman in 2013. He took over as captain in late 2015. Now, he mostly plays as a batsman, usually batting at number 3 or 4.

Smith has won many important awards. These include the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year) in 2015. He was also named ICC Test Player of the Year twice, in 2015 and 2017. For the years 2011–2020, he was named the ICC Men's Test Player of the Decade. He has also won the Allan Border Medal four times, which is a top award in Australian cricket. In December 2017, Smith reached a very high ICC Test batting rating of 947 points. This is the second-highest rating ever, just behind the legendary Don Bradman.

In March 2018, Smith faced a lot of criticism for an incident during a Test match against South Africa. He was involved in a situation where the cricket ball was illegally changed. After this, he stepped down as captain. Cricket Australia investigated and banned him from all international and Australian domestic cricket for one year. He was also not allowed to be a leader for another year.

In November 2021, Smith returned to a leadership role as the Test vice-captain. He even captained Australia in some Tests when the main captain, Pat Cummins, was not available. He also captained Australia in some One Day International (ODI) matches in 2023 and 2024. He retired from ODI cricket on March 5, 2025, leading Australia in his last ODI as captain.

Early Life and Family

Steve Smith was born on June 2, 1989, in Kogarah, Sydney, Australia. His father, Peter, is Australian, and his mother, Gillian, is English. Because his mother was born in London, Smith has dual citizenship for both Britain and Australia.

He went to Menai High School and left at age 17 to play cricket in England. In 2011, Smith started dating Dani Willis, who was studying commerce and law. They got engaged in June 2017 and married on September 15, 2018, in Berrima, New South Wales. Smith is also a fan of the Sydney Roosters rugby league team.

Youth and Club Cricket

Smith fielding for New South Wales in 2008

When Steve Smith was younger, he was mainly a batting all-rounder. He bowled fast-medium until he was 15, then switched to leg-spin bowling. In 2007, he played club cricket in England for Sevenoaks Vine. His great performance there led him to play for Surrey County's second team.

Smith was part of the Australian Under-19 team in the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia. He scored 114 runs and took seven wickets in four matches during the tournament.

He played his first-class match for New South Wales in January 2008. He was also part of the New South Wales team that won the 2009 Twenty20 Champions League. In the final, he scored 33 runs and took two wickets. By the end of the 2009–10 season, Smith had a batting average of over 50 in first-class matches.

In October 2013, Smith led New South Wales to their first One-Day Final since 2006. He scored 61 runs in the final. In March 2014, he scored 75 and 103 not out to help New South Wales win the 2013-14 Sheffield Shield title. In October 2015, Smith led New South Wales to another win in the 2015–16 Matador BBQs One-Day Cup Final, scoring 84 runs. He was the top run-scorer of that season with 435 runs.

Big Bash League Success

Smith made his Twenty20 debut for New South Wales in January 2008. He was the top wicket-taker in the 2008 Big Bash tournament, taking 9 wickets overall.

In 2011–12, Smith joined the Sydney Sixers in the new Big Bash League. He even captained the team and led them to win the first-ever season. He scored 166 runs and took 6 wickets that season. In the final, he captained the Sixers to a 7-wicket victory against the Perth Scorchers.

In 2019-20, Smith returned to play for the Sixers and helped them win their second BBL title. In December 2022, Smith signed a new contract to return to the Sixers. He scored his first BBL century against the Adelaide Strikers, making 101 runs off 56 balls. In the very next match, he scored another century, 125 not out, against Sydney Thunder. In January 2025, Smith scored his third BBL century, making 121 runs against the Perth Scorchers. He now has the most BBL centuries (3) and the highest batting average for an Australian in the competition.

Indian Premier League Journey

Smith first played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2010 for Royal Challengers Bangalore. In 2012, he joined Pune Warriors India and even captained them for one match. He continued with them in 2013 and won a Man of the Match award in his first game for them.

In 2014, Rajasthan Royals bought Smith. He became their captain in 2015 and led them to important victories. In 2016, he joined Rising Pune Supergiants and scored his first T20 century, making 101 runs. He was named captain of the Supergiants for the 2017 season and led them to the final, where they lost by just one run.

In 2018, he was named captain of Rajasthan Royals again, but his contract was ended due to the ball-tampering incident. He returned to the Rajasthan Royals in 2019 and was again appointed captain during the season. He did not play in the IPL in 2022.

Other T20 Leagues

Smith has also played in other T20 leagues around the world. In 2018, he played for the Toronto Nationals in the Global T20 Canada tournament and for Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League. He also played for Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League in 2019.

In April 2024, Smith joined Washington Freedom for the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA. He captained the team to victory in the 2024 MLC Final and was named Player of the Match for his 88 runs.

International Cricket Career

Early Days and Breakthrough (2010–2015)

Steve Smith made his international debut in a Twenty20 International match against Pakistan in February 2010. He also played his first One Day International (ODI) match that same month. In the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, he took 11 wickets, helping Australia reach the final.

He made his Test debut in July 2010 against Pakistan. He was mainly chosen for his bowling, but he also showed his batting skills by scoring 77 runs in one innings. After a break from Test cricket, Smith returned in 2013 during a tour of India. He scored 92 runs in his first innings back.

In the 2013 Ashes series in England, Smith scored his first Test century, an unbeaten 138 runs. He continued his great form in the 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia, scoring two more centuries. In the 2014 tour of South Africa, he scored his fourth Test century.

Smith also started to shine in ODIs. In October 2014, he scored his first ODI century against Pakistan. He was named man of the series for his batting. In the 2014–15 series against India, Smith became Australia's stand-in captain due to an injury to Michael Clarke. He scored three centuries in a row as captain, a remarkable achievement. He finished the series with 769 runs, the most by an Australian against India in a four-Test series.

2015 Cricket World Cup Victory

In the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Smith was a vital batsman. He scored 402 runs, including a century against India in the semi-finals. In the final against New Zealand, he scored 58 not out, helping Australia win the World Cup by 7 wickets. He was Australia's highest run-scorer in the tournament and was named in the Team of the Tournament.

Ashes and Rise to Captaincy (2015)

After the World Cup, Smith continued his excellent form. In the 2015 Ashes series in England, he scored his highest Test score of 215 runs at Lord's. He was the top run-scorer in the series with 508 runs.

Following the Ashes, Michael Clarke retired, and Steve Smith was appointed the full-time captain of the Australian Test and ODI teams in August 2015.

Australian Captaincy (2015–2018)

As captain, Smith continued to perform well. In the 2015–16 home series against New Zealand, he scored his first second-innings century. In 2015, he won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy and ICC Test Player of the Year awards.

In the 2016 tour of New Zealand, Australia won 2–0, with Smith scoring well. However, the 2016 tour of Sri Lanka was tough, with Australia losing 3–0, though Smith was still their top scorer. The ODI tour of South Africa also saw a 5–0 loss for Australia.

Back home, in the ODI series against New Zealand, Smith scored 164 runs at the SCG, which was the highest ODI score at that ground. Australia won the series 3–0. In the Test series against Pakistan, Smith scored his 16th Test century and was named "Man of the Series."

Dominant Tour of India (2017)

Smith playing for Australia in 2016

The 2017 tour of India was a highlight for Smith. He scored a century in the first Test, helping Australia win their first Test in India since 2004. He scored another century in the third Test, 178 not out, which was the highest score by an Australian captain in India. He was the highest run-scorer in the series with 499 runs, including three centuries.

Ashes Success (2017–18)

In the 2017–18 Ashes series at home, Smith was outstanding. He scored 141 not out in the first Test, his 21st Test century. In the third Test, he scored a career-best 239 runs, his second double-century and first as captain. He also scored 102 not out in the fourth Test, helping Australia secure a draw.

Smith ended 2017 with 1,305 runs, the most by any player that year. He reached 6,000 Test runs in 111 innings, becoming the second-fastest player to do so. He was the highest run-scorer in the Ashes series with 687 runs and was named "Man of the Series." In 2017, he won the ICC Test Player of the Year award again and the Allan Border Medal in February 2018.

Ball-Tampering Incident and Suspension (2018)

In March 2018, during a Test match against South Africa, a controversy happened. Smith, as captain, was involved in a situation where the ball was illegally changed. He admitted that the team's "leadership group" had discussed it. As a result, Smith stepped down as captain. Cricket Australia investigated and banned him from all international and Australian domestic cricket for 12 months. He was also not allowed to be a leader for another 12 months.

When he returned to Sydney, a tearful Smith apologized, taking full responsibility for the incident. He said it was a "failure of leadership" and that he would regret it for the rest of his life. He hoped to earn back respect and forgiveness.

Return to International Cricket (2019)

ODI World Cup (2019)

Smith during the 2019 World Cup

After his ban, Smith was named in Australia's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. He scored 379 runs in the tournament, including four half-centuries. In the semi-final against England, he scored 85 runs.

Dominant Ashes Series (2019)

In the 2019 Ashes series in England, Smith made a stunning comeback. In the first Test, he scored centuries in both innings, his ninth and tenth Ashes centuries. His first century was praised as one of his best ever, especially after returning from his suspension. He became the second-fastest player to reach 25 Test centuries, only behind Don Bradman.

During the second Test, he was hit on the neck by a fast ball and had to leave the field. He later returned to bat but was ruled out of the third Test due to concussion. Despite this, he reclaimed the number one spot in the Test batting rankings. In the fourth Test, he scored his third double-century in Tests. He finished the series with an amazing 774 runs at an average of 110.57, the most by far from either team. He was awarded the "Compton–Miller Medal" as the man of the series for the second time.

Recent Career (2019–Present)

Home Series and Form (2019–2021)

After the Ashes, Smith played in T20I series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, helping Australia win both. In the Test series against Pakistan, he became the fastest Test batsman to score 7,000 runs. He also passed Don Bradman as the 11th highest run-scorer for Australia in Tests.

In the Test series against New Zealand, Smith faced a new challenge as New Zealand bowlers used tactics to limit his scoring. Despite this, Australia won all three Tests.

In January 2020, Smith scored 131 runs in an ODI against India. In February 2020, he helped Australia win the T20I series against South Africa.

During the 2020–21 series against India, Smith scored two quick centuries in the ODI series, earning him the Player of the Series award. However, his Test form was not as strong initially. He broke his century drought with 131 runs in the third Test in Sydney.

T20 World Cup Victory (2021)

Smith was part of Australia's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He played a flexible role in the team, helping Australia win the tournament.

Return to Leadership and Records (2021–2025)

In November 2021, Smith became the Test vice-captain. He captained Australia in the second Ashes Test when Pat Cummins was unavailable. He scored 93 runs in that match.

In 2022, during Australia's tour of Pakistan, Smith became the fastest player to reach 8,000 Test runs, doing so in 151 innings. He also achieved this with a batting average over 60. In the 2022 tour of Sri Lanka, he scored his 28th Test century, his first since January 2021.

In August 2022, Smith scored his 12th ODI century against New Zealand. In October 2022, he scored two half-centuries in the ODI series against England, which Australia won 3–0.

In December 2022, Smith scored his fourth double-century in Tests, making 200 not out against the West Indies. In January 2023, he scored his 30th Test century, becoming the fourth-highest Australian Test run-scorer.

In March 2023, Smith captained Australia in the third Test against India, leading them to a 9-wicket win. He also captained the ODI team, winning the series 2–1.

In June 2023, Smith scored his 31st Test century in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Final against India, helping Australia win the championship. This made him one of the few players to win the ICC World Cup, T20 World Cup, and World Test Championship. In the Ashes, he equaled Steve Waugh with 32 Test centuries.

In January 2024, Smith started opening the batting for Australia in Test cricket after David Warner retired. He scored 91 not out in a Test against the West Indies. In February 2024, he captained Australia to a 3–0 ODI series win against the West Indies.

In May 2024, Smith was not selected for Australia's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

In December 2024, Smith scored his 33rd Test century, passing Steve Waugh for the second-most Test centuries for Australia. He then scored his 34th Test century in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

In January 2025, Smith reached the incredible milestone of 10,000 Test runs in a match against Sri Lanka. He also scored his 35th Test century in that game, leading Australia to a big win. In February 2025, he broke Ricky Ponting's record for most catches by an Australian in Test cricket, with 197 catches. He also scored his 36th Test century, becoming Australia's leading Test run-scorer in Asia. Australia won the series 2–0, and Smith was named player of the series.

In February 2025, Smith captained Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy after Pat Cummins was unavailable. After Australia's loss in the semi-final, Smith announced his retirement from ODI cricket, scoring 73 runs in his final innings.

Playing Style

Smith bowling for New South Wales in 2008

Steve Smith is a right-handed batsman known for his unique and unusual batting style. He moves around a lot at the crease before the bowler delivers the ball. Despite his unusual technique, he has amazing hand-eye coordination and focus. He is also very good at moving his feet, especially against spin bowlers. Smith changed his technique during the 2013–14 Ashes series, which greatly improved his batting average. His stumps are usually fully covered when the ball is delivered, making it hard for bowlers to hit them.

Smith is also known for his strong concentration, allowing him to bat for very long periods. While he started as a leg-spin bowler, his batting skills quickly became his main strength.

As a fielder, Smith is considered one of the best slip fielders in cricket history. He holds the record for the most catches by an Australian in Test matches and is the fastest player to take 300 catches in international cricket. He is also excellent at ground fielding, making sharp run-outs and athletic catches.

Smith is consistently ranked as one of the top Test batsmen in the world by the ICC Player Rankings.

Career Highlights

Centuries against different nations

	Test	ODI	T20I	Total	Home	Away	Neutral
England	12	1	–	13	6	7	-
India	11	5	–	16	11	4	1
New Zealand	2	2	–	4	3	1	-
Pakistan	2	2	–	4	3	-	1
South Africa	2	2	–	4	2	2	-
Sri Lanka	4	–	–	4	-	4	-
West Indies	3	–	–	3	2	1	-
Total	36	12	-	48	27	19	2

As of April 2025, Smith has scored 52 centuries in first-class cricket, 15 in List A cricket, and 4 in T20 cricket. Of these, 36 Test centuries and 12 ODI centuries are part of his international career.

• Smith's highest score in Test and first-class cricket is 239, scored against England in Perth in 2017.
• His highest score in ODI and List A cricket is 164, scored against New Zealand in Sydney in 2016.
• His highest score in Twenty20 International matches is 90 runs, scored against England in Cardiff in 2015.
• He has scored four T20 centuries: one in the IPL and three in the BBL.

Test Match Performance

This graph shows Steve Smith's Test cricket record up to January 2021. The blue and red bars show his scores in each innings (red means he was not out), and the black line shows his career batting average.

Records and Achievements

• He is the joint second-fastest batsman (after Don Bradman) and the youngest Australian to reach 6,000 runs in Tests.
• He is the fastest batsman to reach 7,000 and 8,000 runs in Tests.
• He is the second-fastest batsman (after Kumar Sangakkara) and fourth Australian to reach 9,000 runs in Test cricket.
• He is the fastest Australian batsman and sixth-fastest in the world to reach 10,000 runs in International cricket.
• He is the fastest Australian batsman to reach 14,000 runs in International cricket.
• He is the second batsman to score more than 1,000 runs in Test cricket in four years in a row.
• He is the first batsman to score ten straight scores of 50 or more against the same opponent in Test history.
• He reached 32 centuries in Test cricket in the fewest innings (174).
• He is the first player to score a century for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League.

World Cup Records

• He holds the record for the most consecutive 50+ scores in World Cup history with five such scores in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
• He has the joint most 50+ scores (four) in Cricket World Cup knockout matches.

Fielding Records

• He equaled the world record by taking five catches as a non-wicketkeeper in a Test innings in 2018.
• He is the fastest player to take 300 catches in international cricket.
• He holds the record for the most catches by an Australian in Test cricket.

Ratings and Awards

• He has the second-highest Test batting rating (947) ever, only behind Don Bradman.
• He is the only player to win the ICC Test Player of the Year award more than once.
• He is the youngest player to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year award).
• He is the fastest batsman after Donald Bradman to reach 25 Test centuries.
• He is one of only three players to win the Allan Border Medal four times, alongside Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.
• He was named the first ICC Test cricketer of the decade for the 2010s.

Awards

• Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year): 2015
• ICC Test Player of the Year: 2015, 2017
• ICC Men's Test Player of the Decade: 2011–2020
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Decade: 2011–2020
• ICC Test Team of the Year: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
• ICC ODI Team of the Year: 2015
• Allan Border Medal: 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023
• Australian Test Player of the Year: 2015, 2018
• Australian One Day International Player of the Year: 2015, 2021
• Compton–Miller Medal: 2017–18, 2019
• McGilvray Medal: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Steve Waugh Award: 2009–10, 2011–12
• Wisden Cricketers of the Year: 2015

See also

In Spanish: Steve Smith (criquetero) para niños