Smith reveals his training strategy

AHEAD of facing South Africa in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship Final, Australia’s premier batter Steve Smith revealed that he hasn't faced a single ball since missing a full toss from Mohammed Shami in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy semi-final.

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After that match, where Smith scored 73 as Australia lost the semi-final, he announced his retirement from ODI cricket and spent the last three months in New York, US, focusing heavily on his fitness. While his teammates were either participating in the IPL or the County Championship, Smith did not touch a bat at all - a surprising move considering his well-known obsession with the bat and regular shadow practice.

"I'd normally have a bat lying around the house somewhere and just pick it up and do a bit of shadow batting and stuff. But I made a conscious decision to try and just let it go for a while. It was good. I hadn't hit a ball since I missed a full toss off Mohammed Shami in the Champions Trophy," said Smith.