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In a clear message dispelling any speculation about his retirement, Australia's veteran batter Steve Smith has set his sights on a long-term goal, which is representing his country at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Currently, Smith's immediate focus is on the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 final against South Africa. As a key member of the Australian side, he is integral to their campaign to retain the coveted WTC mace. This commitment to the present, however, does not overshadow his future aspirations.
Representing Australia at LA Olympics 2028 is Steve Smith's number one goal
Smith has been strategic with his training over the past ten months and acknowledged that retirement discussions in the media and among fans during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India had been unsettling. Nevertheless, he has firmly put these rumors to rest. By stating, "That's my number one goal," in a recent interview with Code Sports, Smith has unequivocally signaled his ambition to extend his illustrious career and compete for Olympic glory.
On being quizzed about his retirement, Smith stated: "Not just yet".
In a clear indication that he is not considering retirement anytime soon, Australian batting stalwart Steve Smith has revealed he still has significant ambitions he wishes to achieve in his career. He has effectively silenced any immediate talk of hanging up his boots by outlining major future goals.
As he prepares for the upcoming World Test Championship Final against South Africa, Smith shared his deep affection for the historic venue, Lord's Cricket Ground. He described it as his favorite ground in the world, second only to the Sydney Cricket Ground. Reflecting on the unique characteristics of the famous ground, he pointed to the well-known slope and the swift outfield as notable features. His comfort and success at Lord's are evident in his impressive batting average of 58.33 at the iconic location.
“I think it's probably, outside of Sydney, my favorite ground to play at. The history, the surface itself. It always takes a few balls just to get used to that slope. At one end you feel like you're standing really tall, and at the other end you feel like you're falling over a little bit. But the ball races away, both up the hill and down the hill. And then the lunch is fabulous. They always say it's a great place to miss out on so you can enjoy your lunch. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the last few years I've done really well there, so I haven't been able to cash in on that,” he added.
Smith will head into WTC final with an exceptional form, carrying the momentum of having scored four centuries in his last five Test matches. Smith will be returning to his preferred number 4 position in the batting order, a spot where he has achieved immense success throughout his career. This move is part of a broader restructure of Australia's batting lineup. The new arrangement will see Cameron Green stepping into the number 3 position, while Marnus Labuschagne is anticipated to be promoted to open the innings alongside Usman Khawaja. This reshuffle follows Smith's earlier stint at the top of the order, where he filled the vacancy left by David Warner's retirement. However, the opening role was not an ideal fit for the star batsman, prompting the team to revert him to his familiar and more productive place in the middle order.
Meanwhile, the 36-year-old expressed his readiness for the all-important WTC 2023-2025 final, which is scheduled to be played from June 11 at Lord's
"I feel as strong as I've been since maybe 2014. My hips are in great shape, I'm getting lower - that'll help in the slips too. It's probably the best I've felt physically in years," Smith concluded.
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