Steve Smith retired after defeat to India, know why he took this shocking decision
Steve Smith Retirement: Australia is out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025. On March 4, this team had to face defeat in the semi-finals. Team India defeated the Kangaroos by 4 wickets. After the defeat, now a shocking news is coming from the Australian camp.
Actually, the interim captain of the team, Steve Smith, has suddenly announced his retirement. Cricket Australia has shared this information through its official website. Why did the legendary cricketer take this decision, we are going to discuss in detail in this article further.
Australian legend retires

Disappointed with the defeat in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy against Team India, Australia’s senior cricketer Steve Smith has announced his retirement. However, the 35-year-old player has only said goodbye to ODI International. That is, he will continue to play Test and T20 cricket.
Smith’s sudden retirement announcement has surprised the cricket world. There is a lot of discussion on this on social media. At the same time, a lot of speculation is also being made on the decision of the Australian legend. It is worth noting that this player had told during an interview recently that apart from the 2027 World Cup, he has the ambition to play for Australia till the 2028 Olympics.
An illustrious ODI career: From all-rounder to batting mainstay
Smith made his ODI start in 2010 against the West Indies. Initially, he came into the team as a leg-spinning all-rounder, but later his batting became prominent and he became a key player in Australia’s middle order. In his 170 ODIs, he scored 5,800 runs at an average of 43.28 and a strike rate of 86.96, including 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries. His best score was 164 against New Zealand at the SCG in 2016.
Smith is known for his ability to perform well under pressure, especially in ICC tournaments. He was part of the Australian team that won the World Cup in 2015 and 2023. Apart from batting, he also captained the ODI team in 2015 and led the team to victory in many important series.

- A stunning win over New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy
- A tri-series win against South Africa and West Indies in the Caribbean region
- A 3-0 series win against West Indies during the 2023-24 home summer
Smith’s captaincy and ability to lead the team in difficult situations has made him one of the most respected cricketers in the world. In his last ODI innings, he scored 73 against India in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025 and was the team’s top scorer. Smith has always performed brilliantly in big matches, as evidenced by his record in the ICC World Cup. He has 10 half-centuries to his name, more than any Australian player. This shows that he could always score big runs for the team under pressure.
3 major reasons behind Steve Smith’s sudden retirement from ODIs

1. Preparing for the next generation ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup
Smith believes that now is the right time to step down from ODIs, so that Australia can build a new team for the 2027 ODI World Cup. According to him, many young batsmen are emerging, and they should get a chance. Speaking on his decision, he said, “Now is a good time to start preparing for the 2027 World Cup, so this is the right time to give way.” Australia always makes long-term plans for ICC tournaments, and Smith’s decision is in line with this strategy. Players like Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Jake Fraser-McGurk can now get a big chance.
2. Prioritizing Test cricket and World Test Championship
Smith has always prioritized Test cricket and this will still be his main goal. For Australia, he is an important member of the Test team and wants to focus on the upcoming series against West Indies and England along with the next World Test Championship final. He said, “Test cricket is my priority, and I am excited about the Test Championship final, the West Indies tour and the home series against England.” With the Ashes and a possible series against India, he wants to prolong his Test career and maintain his high level in red-ball cricket.
3. Possible focus on T20 Internationals and 2028 Olympics
Despite retiring from ODIs, Smith will remain associated with T20 cricket and may continue to play. There is talk that he may make the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics his next target, where T20 cricket will be included for the first time. Given his experience and ability to build innings, he can become an important player for Australia in the T20 World Cup and other big tournaments. Apart from this, his decision will also give him more opportunities to play in IPL, BBL and other T20 leagues.