Steven Peter Devereux Smith (born 2 June 1989) is an Australian international cricketer and former captain of the Australian national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time, and is the current world record holder for the highest Test batting average (59.82). He is also a handy leg-spin bowler, and has taken over 100 wickets in all three formats of the game.
Smith was born in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia. He began playing cricket at a young age, and was selected in the Australian Under-19 team for the 2008 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He made his first-class debut for New South Wales in 2008, and quickly established himself as one of the most promising young cricketers in the country.
Smith made his international debut for Australia in a Twenty20 International (T20I) match against Pakistan in 2010. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut a few months later, and his Test debut in 2010. He initially struggled to find his feet at the international level, but he began to show his potential in 2013, when he scored his first Test century against England.
Smith made his international debut for Australia in a T20I match against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 5, 2010. He opened the batting alongside David Warner, and scored 23 runs before being dismissed by Mohammad Asif. Australia won the match by 7 wickets.
Smith made his ODI debut for Australia against the West Indies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 16, 2010. He batted at number 6, and scored 29 runs before being dismissed by Dwayne Bravo. Australia won the match by 6 wickets.
Smith made his T20I debut for Australia against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 5, 2010. He opened the batting alongside David Warner, and scored 23 runs before being dismissed by Mohammad Asif. Australia won the match by 7 wickets.
Smith made his Test debut for Australia against England at the Gabba in Brisbane from November 25 to 29, 2010. He batted at number 8, and scored 19 runs in the first innings and 25 runs in the second innings. Australia won the match by an innings and 61 runs.
Smith holds a number of records and achievements in cricket, including:
Smith has won a number of awards and honors throughout his career, including:
Smith was appointed captain of the Australian Test team in 2015, and led the team to a number of successes, including a Ashes series win in England in 2015 and a home Test series win against India in 2016-17. He was also the captain of the Australian ODI team from 2015 to 2018.
In 2018, Smith was involved in a ball-tampering scandal during a Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. He was subsequently banned from playing for Australia for 12 months, and was also stripped of his captaincy.
Smith is married to Dani Willis, and they have one daughter together.
Steve Smith is one of the greatest batsmen of all time, and is a key member of the Australian cricket team. He has overcome a number of challenges throughout his career