IND vs AUS 4th Test: Steve Smith hints at possible retirement after fourth Test in Ahmedabad as Australia aims to draw series

Australian cricket star Steve Smith suggests that the fourth Test match against India in Ahmedabad could be his final game on Indian soil.

Australian cricket star Steve Smith has hinted that the upcoming fourth Test match in Ahmedabad against India could be his last game on Indian soil. The right-handed batter, who has been one of the best performers in Indian conditions, first toured India in 2013 to play red-ball cricket and is the only batter among the current crop to score a hundred on Indian soil.

Steve Smith

Smith, who will lead the tourists in the fourth Test in the absence of Pat Cummins, said he would take it series by series, but “can’t see myself coming back really, if I’m being realistic”.

Ahead of the series decider at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Smith said he would enjoy the occasion and help Australia finish the series the way they wanted. The New South Wales batter also wants Australia to stay focused on what is a massive year for them, given the Ashes and 2023 Cricket World Cup to follow. Smith was the highest run-getter during the 2017 series, mustering 499 runs in four Tests, and led Australia to victory in Pune that year and the victory in Indore last week.

Also Read: PM of India and Australia to watch the 4th Test Match at Ahmedabad

Speaking about playing at the massive stadium in Ahmedabad, Steve Smith said he expects an electrifying atmosphere, given the number of fans is likely to exceed 100,000. The Indian team is on the verge of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, but Australia aims to level the series in the upcoming match. Smith is yet to fire with the bat in the series and will be desperate to do so in the final Test against India, which gets underway on Thursday, March 9.

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