**Official** Australia in Sri Lanka Jan - Feb 2025

[Burgey]

This article seriously rises a question to me that did i overate smith. Smith after 2019 ashes looked set to be best after bradman but has declined big time. Since that ashes series smith avereges below 50 in bowling friendly era whereas sachin lara and waugh averaged 50 plus in similar era vs atg bowlers with sachin averaging 58 in 90s

Smith really hasn’t been the same player since he got clocked at Lord’s in 2019 then had another concussion not long after.

 

[govinda indian fan]

Smith really hasn’t been the same player since he got clocked at Lord’s in 2019 then had another concussion not long after.

Could be or is it aging reflexes

 

[Burgey]

He was about 29 when it happened though

 

[Molehill]

Smith really hasn’t been the same player since he got clocked at Lord’s in 2019 then had another concussion not long after.

I always wondered if it was a technique thing. He obviously relies on astonishing hand/eye coordination and when that starts to go it puts the technique under more scrutiny.

Having said that, his ability to plunder runs in lower quality T20's seems to be unaffected, so perhaps it's just against the real top dogs he's struggling.

 

[Burgey]

He just took back to back tons off Bumrah in one of the most bowler friendly series in years though.

He has an unusual and exaggerated trigger movement, but really you can wiggle your arse to the bowler as he runs in if you want to, provided you’re balanced and in line when the ball is delivered. I think he gets in strife when that movement is over done and gets him in a position where he’s too far across or too square on. I suooose that’s a technical thing in itself

I tend to think it’s that more than a failure of his eye which lets him down, though tbf the two may well be linked and he goes feeling for the ball in his trigger movement when he feels out of sorts. Who knows with him? He’s a rare unit tstl. Technically he adjusts mid innings to things as well as anyone I think I’ve ever seen.

 

[centurymaker]

Thats what iam saying we tend to underate previous greats and overate active players. I used rate smith to be better then tendulkar lara punter and viv but smith has shown he is human too. anway i dobut root averages 59 vs india in last four years. Had atg series vs us in england but failed in tour of india by becoming bumrah s bunny.only hundred he scored was when bumrah was rested but hope to see another fascinating battle between root and bumrah this june/july

Avgs since Ashes 2019:

Williamson @61
Root @54
Smith @42
Kohli @35

 

[Gob]

Could be or is it aging reflexes

With Smith, I always felt that the day he starts missing straight balls and start getting LB is the day he will stop being a top player and it started happening late 2023 and gradually got worse from there which makes the recent turnaround in form pleasantly surprising

 

[centurymaker]

Thats what iam saying we tend to underate previous greats and overate active players. I used rate smith to be better then tendulkar lara punter and viv but smith has shown he is human too. anway i dobut root averages 59 vs india in last four years. Had atg series vs us in england but failed in tour of india by becoming bumrah s bunny.only hundred he scored was when bumrah was rested but hope to see another fascinating battle between root and bumrah this june/july

Minimum 5 Tests (since Ashes 2019)

Smith:
41 v Pak
40 v Ind (29 in Ind)
34 v Eng
29 v NZ

Root:
66 v NZ
59 v Ind
43 v Pak
40 v Aus (32 in Aus)
33 v SA

 

[Gob]

View attachment 44940

Since Ashes 2019:

Williamson @61
Root @54
Smith @42
Kohli @35

Why don't we just make a 'lets micro analyze steve smith to pick holes in his career' thread in player comparisons and spare this thread to discuss the game tomorrow.

 

[Gob]

Minimum 5 Tests (since Ashes 2019)

Smith:
41 v Pak
40 v Ind (29 in Ind)
34 v Eng
29 v NZ

Root:
66 v NZ
59 v Ind
43 v Pak
40 v Aus (32 in Aus)
33 v SA

Again, just make a Smith vs Root thread in player comparisons and you can dump all of this there

 

[centurymaker]

He is going to reach 10,000, hence the interest. But yeah

 

[Gob]

Again, just make a Smith vs Root thread in player comparisons and you can dump all of this there

Actually the thread name should/would either be 'Steve Smith vs root' or 'Joe Root vs smith'

 

[Alex0paul]

Is this available on UK TV?

 

[Molehill]

Is this available on UK TV?

Yes, looks like it's on BT/TNT/Discovery.

 

[Starfighter]

Smith really hasn’t been the same player since he got clocked at Lord’s in 2019 then had another concussion not long after.

When was the second concussion?

 

[Johan]

regardless of the consensus, Smith is still class, nobody is ever maintaing peak form forever and nobody should be expected to but I expect him to play a classy inning in Sri Lanka, maybe win a game for Australia.

 

[the big bambino]

His two hundreds in the BGT on those pitches and against Bumrah were in their way a tribute to his fight and then class.

 

[Johan]

his century in the WTC final also meant a lot.

 

[Shady Slim]

pumped up for this immensely! more cricket on free to air and the subcontinent timeslot is perfect for domestic viewing

 

[Johan]

a turner would be fun