SteveSmith

A career that has seen him transform from full-time leg-spinner to one of the best batters in modern-day cricket, Steve Smith's story is one for the ages.

After making his first-class debut in 2008, Smith was given his Baggy Green two years later in a Test match against Pakistan at Lord's, where he batted at No.8 and took three wickets as the front-line spinner in Australia's win.

Later dropped from the Australian team due to a poor run at the 2010-11 Ashes, Smith turned to domestic cricket to regain form and confidence. After a recall to the Test side in 2013, he displayed extraordinary improvement, starting with his maiden Test ton at The Oval, later followed by centuries at Perth and Sydney during Australia's 5-0 whitewash in the 2013-14 Ashes.

Smith became Australia's 45th Test captain during the series against India in 2014-15, filling in for an injured Michael Clarke. It turned out to be a landmark series for him as he went onto post tons in all four Tests.

Reaching No.1 in the ICC Test batter rankings for the first time in June 2015, he was also awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year the same year.

2017 was the year that his excellent form became astonishing, starting off with three Test tons while touring India and three more in the triumphant Ashes series the following summer, improving his Test batting average until it stood second only to Sir Donald Bradman.

However, the sandpaper scandal that erupted in Cape Town in March 2018 saw him stripped of the captaincy, banned from playing for 12 months and handed a two-year restriction from holding a leadership position in Australian cricket.

In his first Test back – the opening match of the 2019 Ashes series – he scored an incredible 144 in the first innings and an even better 142 in the second at Edgbaston to inspire Australia to victory, going on to dominate the series as Australia retained the Ashes.

Smith was returned to a formal leadership position in November 2021, named vice-captain to Pat Cummins.