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Steve Smith's embarrassing career first that shows greatest asset has become glaring weakness

The former Aussie cricket captain is suffering an obvious and worrying trend.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read

Steve Smith's greatest asset has become his worst nightmare, and it was exposed by an extraordinary career-first on the opening day against India in Perth. Smith became one of Jasprit Bumrah's four victims as the India captain produced a devastating opening spell on Friday in the first cricket Test.

Bumrah trapped Smith plumb in front as the former captain's renowned hand-eye coordination abandoned him again. The first-ball dismissal marked just the second golden duck of Smith's illustrious career, and his first in a home Test match.

And the method of dismissal sparked ugly questions about whether Smith's greatest asset is no more. The 35-year-old has made a career out of shuffling across his stumps and daring bowlers to aim for his pads. His hand-eye coordination is so impeccable that he rarely misses a ball on his pads, and happily takes the runs on offer when bowlers try and target the stumps.

Steve Smith, pictured here during the first cricket Test between Australia and India.
Steve Smith has been dismissed lbw in four of his last six innings. Image: AAP/Getty

But his dismissal on Friday showed how that plan might be bringing about his downfall. Smith's hand-eye coordination might be dissipating in the twilight of his career, and it's posed questions about how much longer he'll be playing Test cricket.

It marked the third-straight innings in which he's been dismissed lbw, after being trapped in front against New Zealand in both innings of the second Test in Christchurch in March (for 11 and nine). He was also out lbw in the first innings of the second Test against the West Indies in January, and four of his last six dismissals have been trapped in front.

A move back to the middle-order would seemingly make his life easier after the failed experiment of using him as an opener last summer. But it lasted just one delivery on Friday after Smith came to the crease at 2-19 in just the seventh over.

As cricket writer Andrew Wu wrote on social media: "Steve Smith’s technique challenges bowlers to attack his pads. In his prime, he loved it, knowing he’d get easy runs if they bowled straight. Now, he’s missing balls he used to hit. The eye is not as sharp. The best problem solver in the game has a big problem to solve."

Steve Smith, pictured here after being dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah for a golden duck.
Steve Smith was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah for a golden duck. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

Aussie legend Mark Waugh wasn't willing to write Smith off after just one innings of a five-Test series, but admitted it was concerning. “I don’t want to read too much into it today," he said on Fox Sports. "The pitch is doing enough at pace and Bumrah is a world class bowler.

"People have always questioned Steve Smith’s technique over the years, and he always responds. He’s a good problem solver. I think his footwork at times, he can go too far across (to) the off-side. So I think it’s something he’s aware of. But I think today, the first ball, I don’t want to read too much into that.”

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Smith will be pivotal to Australia's hopes of regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from India, who have won the last four Test series against the Aussies. His recent struggles, coupled with those of teammate Marnus Labuschagne, pose a huge headache for Australia - and they'll need to turn things around quickly.

After bowling out India for just 150, Australia were reduced to 7-67 at stumps on the opening day. Bumrah took four scalps during a blistering display, as the Aussies were put on the brink of conceding what appeared to be an unthinkable first innings deficit.