Steve Smith, Australia’s timeless batting genius, has unveiled a bold vision: captaining or starring for his country in T20 cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Far from fading into retirement, the 35-year-old has reignited his T20 career with a sensational Big Bash League century off 41 deliveries, opening for the Sydney Sixers.
This aggressive avatar suits Smith perfectly. ‘It lets me play my way from the outset,’ he enthused. The Olympic aspiration is his north star, influencing decisions like skipping T20 retirement and channeling post-ODI energies into shorter formats.
New York’s off-season became Smith’s forge, where he sculpted peak fitness. BBL duties continue with two games this week, priming him for Major League Cricket ahead.
Domestic brilliance aside, international doors stay shut—omitted from Pakistan T20s and T20 World Cup 2026 prelims. George Bailey, selector-in-chief, commended the opener’s flair: ‘Outstanding stuff, but Marsh and Head own that slot currently. Injuries could change everything.’
With 1,094 T20I runs from 67 games—featuring 11 not-outs in 55 knocks, five half-tons, and 90* as his peak—Smith’s pedigree is undisputed. His Olympic quest injects fresh narrative into Australian cricket, as he battles for relevance in a youth-dominated T20 era, proving age is no barrier to glory.