Steve Smith's Last 10 Test Innings: Should Australian Veteran Retire From Tests?

Steve Smith continues to extend his lean patch in India series [Source: @Sportsnapper71/X.com]

Steve Smith, widely regarded as one of the best batters in modern-day cricket, has been witnessing a series of failures lately. In a recent pink-ball Test against India in Adelaide, Smith was dismissed for two off eleven balls by Jasprit Bumrah in the second innings.

Having scored over 9000 runs in 110 Test matches, expectations from Steve Smith are always sky-high. After David Warner's retirement, he was promoted as an opener, a move that backfired in hindsight.

Steve Smith never adjusted himself as an opener, and after a series of failures, he requested his position at no.4 back ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Series. A troubled selection committee granted his demand only to see Smith's stats unchanged. From Perth to Adelaide, the veteran hasn't been able to score a single fifty in the ongoing Test series against India.

Even in the previous couple of series against New Zealand and West Indies, Steve Smith's scores were underwhelming, and he is slowly becoming a burden on the Australian Test lineup. 

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Steve Smith's last 10 innings tells a concerning tale

As Steve Smith registers another failure, let's revisit his last 10 innings in Test cricket to make sense of his current form.

In the last 10 Test innings, Steve Smith has managed to score only 179 runs at an average of 17.9. Barring 91 against West Indies, Smith has failed to score a single fifty in the year 2024. 

Needless to say, his stats and form are concerning for Australia, given the extent of their dependence on the veteran. As a player with a 56.4 average in Test cricket, these numbers certainly do not do justice to his talent and skill set.

Australia in control of the pink-ball Test

Despite Steve Smith's early dismissal, the pink ball Test remains in Australia's control. On day 2, Marnus Labuschagne scored a fifty, with Travis Head supporting him with his usual aggressive intent. The duo has gotten the scoreboard ticking, with India's lead reduced to almost nothing. A tough challenge awaits the visiting team, which is leading the 5-game series 1-0.

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