The long-running rivalry between England and Australia is about to pick up again as the two powerhouses square off in a five-match Ashes Test series. Beginning on June 16, the first game will be played at Birmingham’s Edgbaston Stadium.
Australia will also be motivated to assert their dominance, especially after winning the World Test Championship (WTC) for the first time. Australia should be a handful for England in home conditions.
The Pat Cummins-led team defeated India in the World T20 Championship final for the 2021–23 cycle, making it the first nation to ever win all the major ICC trophies.
A world-class player fills every position in Australia’s lineup, which is one of the strongest in the sport. One name, Steve Smith, does, however, stand out.
Many people believe the Australian master to be this generation’s best Test batter. With a total of 8,947 runs scored at an exceptional average of 60 over 171 Test innings, his record speaks for itself.
Smith is in excellent form right now, having just scored a century against India in the opening inning of the WTC Final at the Oval. In the eagerly awaited series against England, he’ll be looking to establish his dominance and lead the Australian batting lineup.
Steve Smith will have the opportunity to achieve a number of personal milestones during the upcoming Ashes series. Three of those will be examined.
- Second-most runs in Ashes: Steve Smith thrives in the Ashes rivalry and enjoys batting against England. His 3,044 Test runs against England are his most against any nation. Smith’s total ranks fifth overall in Ashes history. The 34-year-old will surpass Sir Donald Bradman as the second-highest leading run-getter in Ashes history if he scores 593 runs across the five Tests against England. Jack Hobbs’ record of 3,636 runs in the Ashes will be surpassed by Smith if he scores 593 runs. Bradman, who amassed 5,028 runs during his Ashes career, will be Smith’s only rival on this record.
- Second most runs scored in England by an outside batter: Steve Smith thrives in difficult circumstances. He is unbeatable at home, but he also has an unbeatable record in England. In fact, Smith is the only foreign batter in England who has scored more runs than the other three combined. The upcoming series provides an opportunity for the contemporary Australian legend to surpass two of those people. In 17 Tests in England, Smith has amassed 1,882 runs at an astounding average of 60 points per game. Among visiting batters, only Sir Viv Richards (2,057), Allan Border (2,082), and Sir Don Bradman (2674) have amassed more runs in England than Smith. Smith will pass Sir Viv Richards and Allan Border to become the second-highest run-scoring visiting batter in England if he scores 201 runs or more in the upcoming Ashes series.
- Second-most centuries in Ashes history: Steve Smith is a priceless asset for Australia because of his tough demeanor and capacity for long innings. With 11 Ashes centuries under his belt, the gifted right-hander has always loved to score massive runs against England. This is the third-most runs scored by a batter in the series’ history. Smith will move up to second place in the all-time list with two more hundreds in the upcoming series. Smith is currently overtaken by England great Jack Hobbs, who has 12 Ashes tons. Smith can surpass Hobbs’ total, but it will be extremely difficult for him to beat Sir Don Bradman’s 19 Ashes centuries in this series.
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