Former Australia captain Michael Clarke believes Steve Smith could be the perfect injury replacement for Australia in the T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
Michael Clarke Backs Steve Smith as Ideal Replacement if Opening Batter Gets Injured
Speaking to
"If there's an injury to an opening batter, I think it's a no-brainer Smithy comes in. I think every batsman wants to open the batting in T20 cricket or one day cricket. It's the best place to bat. Unfortunately for Smithy at the moment, he's got Travis head and Mitchell Marsh in front of him. One is the captain and the other one has been in terrific form, you know, domestically, internationally, IPL, whatever you want to call it," Michael Clarke said.
"Australia is certainly not at a loss if an opportunity comes up and they go back to Steve Smith," he added.
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Steve Smith in Red-Hot Form in BBL 2025-26
Steve Smith has scored 210 runs in four innings for Sydney Sixers in the ongoing Big Bash League 2025-26 season, averaging 70, with one century and one half century. He is striking at a rate of 172.13.
One reason Smith retired from ODIs after last year's Champions Trophy, instead of playing through to the 2027 World Cup, was to have time for more franchise cricket.
So far, he has played in the MLC and The Hundred. In the MLC, he represented Washington Freedom and scored 336 runs in nine innings at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 148.67. In The Hundred, he scored 137 runs in eight innings.
As an opener, Steve Smith has scored 1,515 runs in 40 matches at an average of 47.34.
Smith has not played a T20I since February 2024, when he last featured in the series against New Zealand. He missed the T20 World Cup 2024, but was part of the 2022 and 2021 editions, with Australia winning the title in 2021.
Australia squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Mitchell Marsh (C), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, and Adam Zampa.
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