Smith's Rise Down To His Work Ethic

Former Aussie Test Batsman

- Marcus North

When Steve Smith first came into the Australian side back in 2010, it should be noted that he hadn’t just walked off the park in a club game and into the Test squad. He was making runs and performing very well in Shield cricket for New South Wales against decent attacks, and had built a reputation for being a player that had a bright future.

Baggy Greens aren’t handed out because there is ‘some’ potential; the selectors need to see something that will deliver instant rewards at the very highest level. When he made his Test debut against Pakistan as an all-rounder – during a two-Test tour of England – he was batting at number eight and his leg-spin bowling was probably more eye-catching. You forget it now because of how good he is with the bat, but his bowling probably bought him a bit more time. It’s the same with other players who can do a bit of both. I myself probably would not have played 21 Test matches if I wasn’t able to offer some support as a second spinner.