“He’s the Outstanding Player of His Era”: Greg Chappell on Steve Smith

Former Test captain Greg Chappell has showered praise for Steve Smith who surpassed Chappell’s 7,110 runs on day one at the MCG with a single in the 51st over. With this, he has moved into 10th position on Australia’s list of all-time Test run-getters. His average of 63.49 at the time he surpassed Chappell was the highest.

Australia’s top 10 Test run-getters

Ricky Ponting – 13,378 @ 51.85

Allan Border – 11,174 @ 50.56

SR Waugh – 10,927 @ 51.06

MJ Clarke – 8,643 @ 49.10

ML Hayden – 8,625 @ 50.73

ME Waugh – 8,029 @ 41.81

JL Langer – 7,696 @ 45.27

MA Taylor – 7,525 @ 43.49

DC Boon – 7,422 @ 43.65

Steve Smith – 7,111 @ 63.49 (after reaching 39* in Melbourne)

Steve Smith had faced a ban of one year from international cricket due to his involvement in Australia’s ball-tampering case in March 2018. He returned to Tests with a bang in the Ashes series, scoring a whopping 774 runs at 110.57.

Greg Chappell on Steve Smith

“I would think he’ll be in his peak for another three of four years,” Chappell told cricket.com.au. “He’s the outstanding player of his era, he’s playing exceedingly well and he’s built up a record which is comparable with the very best. The indications are he’s going to finish his career in the very top bracket of batsmen through the history of the game.”

Chappell hopes the 30-year-old’s obsessive but optimistic thinking helps him to serve well.

“Most players spend a lot of their time anxious about whether they’re going to make runs, and they hit a lot of balls to make up for that anxiety. Smith isn’t doing that. He genuinely loves batting, and a lot of that hitting balls (in the nets) is just filling up the day, waiting for the real cricket to start,” he shared.

“But the real work is done in his room, inside his head, preparing himself for the bowlers he’s going to face. That’s where he’s honing his knowledge; he’s seeing the bowlers bowl to him, working out the angles, so by the time he gets to the game, all he has to do is react. He’s unique in that way – he has a mind that works differently. It’s been brilliantly trained for his profession,” he added.

As a selector and national talent manager across the past decade, Chappell has seen Steve Smith grow. He thinks Smith always possessed a hunger for scoring but improved well due to his mental development and experience on the international circuit. His form has made him one of the best in recent times.

Chappell shared that Steve Smith’s mind has set him apart. His ability to score runs in any conditions against any attack makes him the best. Moreover, he has developed his game according to his experiences. In six years, he has scored 26 Test hundreds so far. His stunning form has only increased with time. Meanwhile, as Smith moved up Australia’s Test run-scorers list, the group included some of the best and finest cricketers in history as well.