Steve Smith informs Australia selectors of T20 return plan, sets sights on 2028 Olympics
Published - 12 Jan 2025, 04:26 PM | Updated - 12 Jan 2025, 04:27 PM
Table of Contents
Australian batting maestro Steve Smith has set a bold goal for the future, as announced his desire to represent Australia at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Smith is determined to extend his T20 career and confirmed that he is aiming to regain his place in the Australian cricket team and prove his worth in the Olympics.
On Saturday, January 12, the former Australian captain showcased his class with a masterful knock of unbeaten 121 off 64 balls to power Sydney Sixers to a crucial 14-run victory over the Perth Scorchers in the 30th match of the ongoing Big Bash League 2024-25 (BBL 2024-25) at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Steve Smith targets LA 2028 Olympics, eyes T20 revival in Australian colors
With seven towering sixes and clever shot-making in Sydney, Steve Smith proved his ability to dominate bowlers and exploit fielding setups in the shorter format of the game. Despite being overlooked for the 2024 T20 World Cup and missing out on the last four IPL auctions, Smith has consistently impressed everyone with his stunning batting in the BBL.
The right-handed batter has been in great form recently, smashing three centuries in just seven matches, equaling Ben McDermott for the most centuries in the Big Bash League history. Notably, Smith has achieved this feat in only 32 games, while McDermott took 100 innings to reach the milestone.
Well, Smith is undoubtedly one of the top T20 openers in Australia, but he doesn’t want to be just a domestic player in T20 cricket, as he set his sights on reclaiming his place in the Australian T20 squad. With the 2028 Olympics in his vision, Smith is ready to take his T20 career to the next level.
I'd like to play in the Olympics: Steve Smith
Steve Smith was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “I'd like to play in the Olympics; I reckon that would be cool. We'll see how far I go in terms of long-form cricket. But I am going to play short-form cricket for a while, I think, when I do finish. You never know. There are a lot of good young kids who are smacking the ball out of the park.”
Meanwhile, cricket is making a return to the Olympics after more than 100 years, and Smith is eager to be part of that historic moment, despite the fact that at that time, he will be 39 years old. While he hasn’t revealed his plans for red-ball cricket, Smith is focused on excelling in T20s for years to come.
Smith says his game will improve drastically if he regularly plays T20 games
Notably, the Australian batting icon’s stunning 121 in the BBL 2024-25 came with just 15 minutes of preparation following the recent Test series against India at home. Smith has thrived as a T20 opener, with his performances improving as tournaments progress. He believes that his game can reach even greater heights if he regularly gets to play T20 matches.
Smith further explained, “I find the more I play back-to-back games, the more you get in sync with the game. Even on [Saturday], I don't think I played my first 10 balls really well. I was probably going a bit too hard for how the wicket was playing. But if I am playing T20s regularly, I probably come out with a slightly different mindset at the start, giving myself a bit more time. It's just the gears and going up and down in the gears throughout the innings [that change for T20s]. And just playing the percentages.”
