The 35-year-old Steve Smith has signed a three-year contract with the Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Sydney Sixers. Smith has been in exceptional form recently, particularly in T20 cricket, where he led Washington Freedom to victory in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024. Currently, Smith has no plans to retire and even envisions himself competing in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 as cricket makes its long-awaited return.
“I don’t have any plans,” Smith told ESPNCricinfo. “I’m just enjoying playing at the moment, I’m pretty relaxed and looking forward to this summer.”
Smith was not selected for Australia’s squad in the T20 World Cup 2024, where they failed to reach the semifinals under Mitchell Marsh’s leadership.
Uncertainty Over Smith’s Batting Position
Smith is uncertain about his batting position in Tests following David Warner’s retirement. He opened the innings against West Indies and New Zealand, scoring 171 runs across eight innings, with his highest score of 91 not out coming in a losing effort against West Indies at the Gabba.
Smith will return to the international stage when Australia faces England in an upcoming ODI series. Later this year, he will play Test cricket at home during India’s tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The veteran batter is flexible about his place in the batting lineup.
“The conversations I’ve had so far are that we’ll go to England… I’m there for the one-dayers, then make a decision after that,” Smith said. “There are discussions happening in the background. You see some comments from guys like Usman [Khawaja] who likes me down at No. 4, and I think Marnus feels the same way. We’ll wait and see. I’m happy to bat anywhere.”
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Smith Nears Major Milestone
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Smith will be chasing a significant milestone. He is just 315 runs away from becoming the fourth Australian batter, after former captains Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh, to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket.