Australian star batter Steve Smith has denied plans to retire from international cricket, saying he hopes to compete in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 as well. Cricket will return to the fold in its shortest format, that is the T20s, at the LA 2028 games. I don’t have any plans, he was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. I’m just enjoying playing at the moment, I’m pretty relaxed and looking forward to this summer, Smith added.
The right-handed batter, who hoped to wear the Baggy Green in the next Olympics, knew he would have to work hard to make it happen. Australia’s team management did not select the 35-year-old cricketer in the shortest format, excluding him from the recently concluded 2024 T20 World Cup roster. The Aussies failed to make it to the semifinals under the captaincy of Mitchell Marsh.
Smith, however, has signed a new three-year contract with the Sydney Sixers of the Big Bash League (BBL), ensuring that he would play in the format until at least 2026-27. Smith has been in excellent form recently, particularly in T20 cricket, where he won the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2024 as Washington Freedom captain.
I could still be playing T20 cricket in four years, so you never know. It’s a format I can see myself playing probably for a lot longer than some of the others, especially with the franchise stuff around the world. I’ve signed on here for three years so it’s only another year after that. It would be cool to be part of an Olympics, Smith expressed.
Meanwhile, Smith’s spot in the batting order of the Test matches remains unclear. After David Warner retired, Smith opened the innings against the West Indies and New Zealand. He’s scored 171 runs in eight innings. His highest score of unbeaten 91 came against the Windies at the Gabba in a losing cause.
Smith will return to international cricket when Australia faces England in the ODI series. He will play Test cricket at home later this year when India tours Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The veteran batter is content to bat anywhere in the order. The conversation I’ve had so far is that we’ll go to England. I’m there for the one-dayers, then make a decision after that, Smith said.
Conversations are happening in the background. You see some comments that guys like Khawaja have said he likes me down at No.4, think Marnus is of a similar thought pattern. We’ll wait and see. I’m happy to bat anywhere, he concluded.
