Steve Smith is certainly one of the greatest batters of present times and recently he made many of his fans a little upset when he announced retirement from the ODIs.
Steve Smith announced his retirement from One Day Internationals just hours after Australia’s semi-final loss to India in the Champions Trophy. The prolific batter, widely regarded as one of the finest of his generation, brought an end to a remarkable ODI career that saw him don the Australian colors in 170 matches and amass 5800 runs, placing him among the top run-scorers for his country in the format.
Expressing his emotions in a social media post, Steve Smith reflected on his journey in ODIs, stating that it was the right time to close this chapter. He cherished the moments spent representing Australia and took immense pride in being part of two World Cup-winning teams. Thanking fans for their unwavering support, he described his ODI career as an incredible experience.
A video circulating online has led to speculation that India’s Virat Kohli was aware of Steve Smith’s decision before the official announcement. The clip captures a brief exchange between the two players, where Virat Kohli is seen asking Steve Smith if the semi-final was his final ODI match, to which the Australian confirmed.
Here is the video:
https://x.com/TheNameIsShaha/status/1897433677984096486
Click to watch this video directly on X
Steve Smith’s leadership in ODIs saw him captain Australia in 64 matches, securing 32 wins while facing 24 losses, with four matches ending without a result. Throughout his career, he showcased his class with the bat, registering 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries, while also contributing with his leg-spin, taking 28 wickets. He shares the record for the highest individual score by an Australian captain in ODIs — 164 runs — alongside Ricky Ponting.
His contributions were pivotal in Australia’s triumphant World Cup campaigns in 2015 and 2023, moments he regards as the highlights of his ODI journey. Reflecting on his retirement, Steve Smith emphasised that with the next ODI World Cup in 2027, it felt like the right time to step aside and allow the team to build for the future.
Although stepping away from the 50-over format, Steve Smith remains committed to Test cricket and T20Is. He reaffirmed his focus on red-ball cricket, expressing excitement for the upcoming World Test Championship final, the West Indies series in the winter and the home Ashes against England. Confident in his ability to contribute further, Smith looks forward to the challenges ahead in the longer formats of the game.
