Australia’s batting stalwart Steve Smith announced his retirement from the One Day Internationals (ODIs), following his team’s 4-wicket loss to India in the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The 35-year-old played his 170th ODI match at the Dubai International Stadium (DICS) in Dubai on Tuesday (March 04), which was indeed his last appearance in the 50-over format.

The stand-in-captain, who led the Aussies till the semi-finals of the CT 2025 in Pat Cummins’s absence informed his teammates immediately after the defeat that he has played his last ODI match against India.

The veteran batter’s sudden retirement decision left fans puzzled to search for the exact reasons. Currently, Smith has shifted his focus to test and T20 cricket. It means that he wouldn’t be part of Australia’s ODI World Cup 2027 squad.

3 Reasons Why Steve Smith Suddenly Retired from ODIs

In addition to sacrificing his spot in the ODI squad for the young generation, Steve Smith wants to prioritize test cricket and possibly focus on T20 Internationals (T20Is) and the 2028 Olympics:

1. Next Generation to Prepare For ODI World Cup 2027

Steve Smith believed that the time has come for the next generation to kickstart their preparation for ODI World Cup 2027. He felt that it was the perfect moment to step aside with several young batters eligible to secure a spot in the playing XI:

“See! Right now it is a superb chance for the individuals to start warming up for the World Cup 2027. So, I felt, this is the right time for me to make way for others,” Smith said.

Furthermore, Smith recalled his 15-year-ODI career and gave an emotional statement after announcing his retirement:

“Yeah! It has been an amazing journey and I enjoyed every moment of it. There are so many sweet memories to cherish. Particularly, winning the two World Cups was a great celebration along with several brilliant teammates who contributed to the journey,” the two-time World Cup winner said.

2. Give preference to Test Cricket and World Test Championship (WTC)

Smith has always been a dedicated champion in test cricket and with several prestigious series coming up in the longest format, he wants to remain an essential part of Australia’s test squad. Also, with the World Test Championship (WTC) final coming up in June 2025, the experienced batter wants to make his best contribution in the red ball cricket:

“Exactly! I have always prioritized test cricket. I am eagerly waiting for the WTC 2025 final, the West Indies tour in the winter, and then the Ashes at home (a 5-match test series against England). Moreover, I believe that I have to contribute my best at this stage,” Smith said. 

With numerous high-profile series lined up in the future such as the Ashes in 2025, the 3-match test series against South Africa in 2026, and the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2027, Smith aims to maintain his best standards in test cricket.

3. Likely to Concentrate on T20 internationals and the 2028 Olympics

Smith has retired only from the ODI cricket. Not in T20 Format! It means that he is not yet done and has a long way to go to achieve the 20-over format.

There are speculations that Steve might participate in the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, where T20 cricket upgraded its standards by making its debut in an Olympic event.

In addition, the Australian national team selectors might consider Smith as a precious asset due to his capability to adapt according to different conditions and anchor the innings.

His decision to play in franchise T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Big Bash League (BBL), and other big tournaments indicates his ability to play a vital role for Australia in the forthcoming editions of the T20 World Cups.

A Glimpse of Smith’s ODI Brilliance

Since his ODI debut in 2010, Steve Smith boasts impressive stats as a full-time right-handed batter and a part-time leg spinner:

• Batting Stats:
  • Runs: 5,800 Runs in 154 Innings
  • Balls Faced: 6,669
  • Highest Score: 164 vs New Zealand in 2016 at SCG
  • Average: 43.28
  • Strike Rate: 86.97
  • Not outs: 20
  • Number of 4s: 521
  • Number of 6s: 58
  • Centuries: 12
  • Half Centuries: 35

• Bowling Stats:
  • Wickets: 28 Wickets in 40 Innings
  • Runs Conceded: 971
  • Balls Bowled: 1,076
  • Average: 34.68
  • Economy: 5.41
  • Strike Rate: 38.43
  • Best Bowling Figures: 3/16
    
• Player of the Match Awards (POTM): 11
• Player of the Series Awards (POTS): 4
• Winnings as a Captain (From 2015 to 2025): 32 Wins out of 64 ODIs with a 50 percent winning rate.
• 50-Plus Scores in ICC Knockouts: 5 (out of 7 innings played)
• And so on…

Smith’s Former Teammate Supports His Decision on ODI Retirement

Former cricketer and current chairman of selectors George Bailey expressed his respect to encourage Steve Smith’s decision to retire from ODIs:

“Certainly! We completely understand and support Smith’s decision to retire from the 50-over format.

On several occasions, Steve mentioned that he is deciding his future in cricket according to every series at a time. However, his approach hasn’t changed, and Cricket Australia supports his decision.

As a batter, he has strengthened his legacy as one of the greatest Australian ODI cricketers with his exceptional batting record across 170 matches.

Speaking from the National Selection Panel’s (NSP) point of view, Smith is completely dedicated to Test cricket and is a core member and a brilliant captain of the team,” Bailey said.