New Delhi [India]: Former England captain Nasser Hussain has praised Steve Smith’s performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and his overall One Day International (ODI) career following Smith’s announcement to retire from ODIs. Hussain believes that Smith’s “skills are not waning” despite Australia’s semifinal exit against India.
“When you watch him bat in that game and bat recently, actually, he is not a man whose skills are waning. He had a quiet time for a while, but the last six months to a year, he played beautifully,” Hussain remarked, as per a video by Sky Sports Cricket. He added, “His captaincy in this tournament was great as well. On that day, the way he got the most out of those resources, all the main players missing, his gut feel, his tactical nuance, his wanting and will to try to win for Australia is never doubted.”
Smith concluded his ODI career after a glittering run that spanned 170 matches, during which he played a pivotal role in securing two ICC Cricket World Cup titles for Australia in 2015 and 2023. Although his Test career has often overshadowed his ODI accomplishments, Smith’s contributions to Australia’s limited-overs setup were significant since his transition from a leg-spin all-rounder to a world-class batter.
In his final ODI appearance, Smith top-scored for Australia with a gritty 73 off 96 balls before being bowled by Mohammed Shami. Throughout the tournament, he scored 97 runs in three innings at an average of 48.50, demonstrating his continued proficiency with the bat.
Despite stepping back from ODIs, the 35-year-old Smith will remain available for Australia’s Test and T20I squads. His ongoing involvement in the shortest format is potentially motivated by opportunities to play in the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will be featured as a T20 event.
Smith’s ODI career saw him amass 5,800 runs at an impressive average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96. His record includes 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries, with a career-best score of 164 against New Zealand at the SCG in 2016. He retires as Australia’s 12th-highest run-scorer in ODIs and the 16th most-capped player.
Among Australian batters with higher ODI run tallies, only David Warner (strike rate 97.26) and Adam Gilchrist (96.89) scored at a faster pace. Smith also captained Australia in 64 ODIs, maintaining a 50% win record. Under his leadership, Australia secured series victories against England and India in his first year as a full-time captain and won the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy along with a tri-series featuring South Africa and West Indies in 2016.