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Decoding Steve Smith: How He Became A Test Great Despite Unconventional Technique

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Steve Smith vs South Africa in WTC Final [Source: AP Photos]Steve Smith vs South Africa in WTC Final [Source: AP Photos]

If batting is an art, there are a few artists who etch their names in the hearts of the spectators forever. While some of the batters get adoration and credit for their conventional style of play and brilliant techniques, the uniqueness of others often surprises the spectators and the experts.

A batter, who has mesmerised the world with his consistency at the highest level, despite his unique style of batting is Steve Smith. The analysts and the viewers have often been startled by the volume of runs Smith has scored in the purest format of the game despite having a technique that defies the traditional 'copybook.'

What Is Different About Steve Smith's Technique?

The coaches will often teach you that while batting in cricket, you need to have a firm base. The bat should come from the first slip region and as the ball lands on the pitch, you need to be ready to intercept it as per the length or line. 

Steve Smith's stance and trigger movement [Source: Steve Smith's stance and trigger movement [Source: 

cricket.com.au/YouTube.com]

Steve Smith's stance defies most of this logic. He generally keeps the bat lifted and has a slightly open-chested stance instead of the traditional side-on. The second thing is his trigger movement. Before the ball lands on the surface, Smith shuffles across towards the stumps and a layman would often think that he loses a bit of balance at this moment. 

Thus we can see that from the stance to the initial movement, it feels like Smith is doing everything wrong.

How Steve Smith Gets The Success Despite His 'Weird' Technique?

Now, the technique is an essential part of batting in cricket but is not everything. There are a few things that make Smith the succesful batter that he is. 

Mental Toughness: The Australian maverick can be seen scoring runs in the toughest of conditions and the most challenging situations. This shows the willpower and mental toughness of the batter. 

Even during the ongoing WTC 2025 Final against South Africa, Steve Smith came out to bat at a stage when they were struggling after losing the first two wickets early. Even at the stage, Smith looked unfazed, went about the innings in his way and led the recovery act for the team.

Steady head of Steve Smith while meeting the ball [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]Steady head of Steve Smith while meeting the ball [Source: @cricketcomau/x.com]

Steady Head At The Meeting Point: Now coming to the technique, even though there is a lot of movement and shuffling in Smith's approach, his head remains still while meeting the ball with the bat. After his trigger movement, he positions himself in such a way that he can watch the ball closely and play it ideally as per the line and length. 

Grit: The last thing that makes Smith different from others is his grit. The batter knows that he is not the most pleasant player to look at or not technically the most sound. However, that does not deter him in any way from digging himself in the middle and fighting his way out of trouble.

We have seen many times, that Smith gets hit on the body or gets beaten on the edges while batting. But he is very quick to forget the previous delivery and concentrate on the ball that comes next. This is probably the most important quality for a batter to be successful in Test cricket and Steve Smith possesses it way more than others. 

Enjoy His Art As Long As He Creates

The journey for Steve Smith has been nothing short of dramatic. From being a leg spin bowler who can bat a bit to being the backbone of the Australian Test line-up, the journey has seen many lows and even more highs. 

The Australian stalwart is nearing the dusk of his career. There will be very few in the upcoming generations who will give lessons of grit and mental toughness, especially suitable for the longest format of the game. So, as long as he displays his skills on the field enjoy them and marvel at the level of excellence the batter has.