Reflecting on Steve Smith’s ODI Legacy
With the news of Steve Smith's ODI retirement, I decided to take a look at his career highlights and the legacy he left behind in the format.
It is always a sad day when a cricketing legend retires. Australia’s Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to India on Tuesday signalled the end of Steve Smith’s One Day International career.
Watching Australia play ODI cricket without Smith, one of my all-time favourite players, will simply never be the same again.
I thought I’d reflect on his career and legacy in that famous Canary Yellow shirt of Australia.
The numbers behind Smith’s ODI career
Let's start with Smith’s ODI stats, because, as you might imagine, they are excellent. He amassed an impressive 170 appearances in 50 over cricket for Australia, and scored exactly 5800 runs, the 12th most in his country’s history.
In that time, he notched up 35 half centuries and 12 hundreds, at a strong average of just under 50, specifically 43.28. Out of those 11 batters with more ODI runs for Australia than Smith, only five have managed them at a better average.
I also think it’s apt to talk about his extraordinary record in ICC knockout matches. According to ESPN Cricinfo, he has scored 50 or more five times in ICC knockout games, the same number as Virat Kohli and bettered only by Sachin Tendulkar.
Smith actually has a pretty good record with the ball in ODI cricket, too. All his wickets aside from one came in 2014 or earlier, which makes sense in many ways since he was initially in the side as a bowler.
He’s taken 28 wickets, but only bowled in 40 innings, and had a more than respectable average of 34.67.
Smith’s most memorable innings
It is hard to pinpoint which of Smith’s ODI knocks was the best of the bunch. There are plenty to choose from, so I tried to whittle it down to some of the most memorable innings.
His highest score was 164 against New Zealand at the SCG in 2016. That particular innings was one of pure dominance from Smith. He picked up length fantastically and was so good off the back foot.
At the back end of the innings, he did not hold back, and blasted Australia up to 324, which roved to be a winning score.
In 2020, Smith hit two rapid hundreds just days apart from each other against India, both at the SCG.
The first was brought up in just 63 balls, with the former Australian skipper scoring 105 off 66. Coming to the crease with just over 20 overs left in the innings, he smashed 11 fours and four sixes, in perhaps his most devastating innings in ODI cricket.
Smith repeated the feat days later, scoring 104 off just 64 deliveries, striking 14 boundaries and clearing the rope twice.
Both innings were sensational, twin displays of sheer brutality against an excellent India bowling attack spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah.
Smith’s ability to play a different type of innings was showcased in those knocks, playing an innings exactly as the situation required. He batted in a destructive manner where boundary hitting seemed to be at the forefront of his mind. He executed that approach to a tee.
Maybe the most significant knock of Smith’s ODI career came in the pressure-filled environment of a World Cup semi-final against India, in 2015. His 105 off 93 deliveries was crucial for the hosts to get themselves up to 328, which they comfortably defended in the end.
He cashed in on what was a pretty flat wicket, piling on the runs at a quick rate. One thing that stood out to me in that innings was the expert way he used the depth of his crease, with wicketkeeper MS Dhoni standing up to the stumps to several bowlers.
I also think it’s necessary to give a mention to Smith’s 56 not out off 71 balls in the 2015 World Cup Final just days later against New Zealand. This was a game Australia were cruising, and never really looked like they would lose.
With that being said, reaching an unbeaten half century in a World Cup final, and scoring the winning runs, is an incredible achievement, one that Smith can surely reflect on with great pride.
The ODI legacy Smith left behind
Smith’s contributions in 2015, a competition where he scored 402 runs, were one of two World Cup titles he won. In 2023 in India, the Australian great notched up 302 runs, scoring two 50s.
Being an important figure in winning multiple 50 over World Cup titles is an incredible legacy to leave. He, along with so many of his teammates, built an almost unstoppable side over those eight years and more.
Another facet to Smith’s ODI game, aside from his incredible run scoring, is his tactical excellence as a captain. He had the chance to lead Australia in ODI cricket on 64 occasions, most recently as a stand-in for Pat Cummins in the Champions Trophy.
That was a competition that, for me, epitomised Smith’s skill as a captain. He is a tinkerer, obsessed with perfection and it was a trait that served him well in the Champions Trophy.
The way he utilised his bowlers was commendable, making the most of key matchups and trying to outthink batters to take a wicket. He was also brave and bold with his field placements. Smith’s captaincy was a big reason why Australia reached the semi-final, and almost knocked India out.
I think 50 over batting is all about rotating strike, setting a good tempo and then batting in a rhythm. This is something that, for me, Smith personified.
He found ways to score runs, yet did not force boundaries or try and overhit the ball. Rotating the strike was a big strength of Smith’s in 50 over cricket, and is across other formats. That is the mark of a great batter, for me.
Australia are not short of young talent, who could come into their ODI fold and look to fill the shoes of Smith.
For those who had the chance to play with him in ODI cricket, the likes of Cooper Connolly and Jake Fraser-McGurk, they have been given one of the best cricketing educations you could ask for; watching up an all-time great go about his business, as a batter and leader.
The legacy Smith will leave on Australian 50 over cricket is astounding. A two-time World Cup winner, their 12th leading run scorer and an incredible innovator as captain. He is, without doubt, one of the all-time greats to wear that famous Australia shirt.