With a history of over 146 years, Test cricket is the oldest format of the game. Since its inception, thousands of players have played for twelve different teams. There have been many exceptional players that have played the longest format of the sport in different periods under different circumstances. From W G Grace to Sachin Tendulkar, the format has seen some extraordinary batters. Among them, Steve Smith is considered arguably the greatest batter of the format of the modern era by many. Here are three factors that support Steve Smith’s case to be considered the best test batter of the modern era.
It’s the sum of the total number of runs scored by a batter divided by the number of times they have been dismissed. Career average is one of the important factors to consider in the greatness of a batter, especially in Tests. It shows the consistency of a batter over some time. Steve Smith currently has 9079 runs in 174 innings at an average of 59.73 in the format. For the batters with a minimum of 5000 runs, Smith’s average is the second highest only behind the legendary Don Bradman. For the batters with over 7000 career runs in the format, Steve Smith’s average is the highest ever. Among the batters from the modern era, no batter averages over 55 with a minimum of 4000 career runs. It shows the consistency of the batter since his debut in 2010.
Traditionally, the nature of test pitches varies from one nation to another. Asian countries usually produce pitches that turn a lot. The countries like Australia and South Africa produce pitches that offer a good pace and bounce for the quicks. In England and New Zealand, the bowlers get a good amount of swing due to the overcast conditions and grass cover on the deck. To prove oneself as versatile, it’s essential to perform in all types of pitches. Here is Steve Smith’s average in different playing conditions:
- Australia – 64.51
- Bangladesh – 29.75
- England and Wales – 59.24
- India – 50.31
- New Zealand – 131.00
- Pakistan – 56.50
- South Africa – 41.10
- Sri Lanka – 49.75
- United Arab Emirates – 43.50
- West Indies – 141.50
Barring Bangladesh, Steve Smith averages 40+ in all the conditions he played. It shows the versatility of the great batter.
Performances against top teams
Performing against top teams is very important to be considered a great batter. The top teams usually consist of the best bowlers of the format. Since Steve Smith’s debut, India, England, South Africa, and New Zealand have been the four tough opponents for Australia. Smith averages 58.81 against England, 65.87 against India, 58.23 against New Zealand, and 44.95 against South Africa. Smith averages 58+ against three top teams of his time. Even against South Africa, Smith averages just under 45. It shows how good Steve Smith is against the top teams of his time.