One of the greatest cricketers of his generation, Australia batter Steve Smith has announced his retirement from ODI cricket following the team’s exit from the ICC Champions Trophy on Tuesday. Smith was appointed captain of the national team for the tournament after regular skipper Pat Cummins was sidelined due to an injury. Smith led his side all the way to the semi-finals of the tournament before his team was knocked out by Rohit Sharma-led India.
Smith, who retires as one of the most accomplished cricketers for Australia in the format, played in an impressive 170 ODIs for the team, amassing 572 runs with 12 centuries while also winning the World Cup twice. However, the announcement means that Smith will not be part of the Australian squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“It has been an incredible journey, and I have cherished every moment of it,” Smith said. “There have been so many memorable moments and incredible experiences. Winning two World Cups was a major highlight, along with the many amazing teammates who shared the journey,” he added in a statement released by Cricket Australia.
The legendary Steve Smith has brought an end to a remarkable ODI career.
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) March 5, 2025
“Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup so it feels like the right time to make way,” he said.
“I feel I still have a lot to contribute on that stage,” he said.
“Now is a great opportunity for people to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup, so it feels like the right time to make way,” he added.
Smith also attended Australia’s post-match press conference on Tuesday after the defeat against India.
During the press conference, Smith was asked about Australia’s expectations to perform well in ICC events and what went wrong this time. The experienced batter acknowledged that the lack of experience in the team cost them a place in the final.
“I think we’ve had a pretty solid record in big games in ICC events, and I thought the guys showed up and did a really good job. There’s obviously a bit of inexperience in our team, particularly in our bowling attack. There were some new faces who I thought did a really good job as well. They’ll be better for the exposure to a big event and playing against world-class players like those we faced today and throughout the tournament. So, there are plenty of positives to take from it,” he said in the press conference.
Smith was Australia’s highest run-scorer in the semi-final, with 73 runs off 96 balls. With Smith retiring from the ODI format and not playing a major role in the team’s T20 setup, the Test format will be the only platform where the batter will be seen in action.
Australia have already been in a phase of rebuild after David Warner’s retirement last year, but now have to find a capable player to fill in the big boots of Steve Smith as well.