Why do we need more cricketers like Steven Smith?

Steven Smith typifies the modern cricketer, or rather who is able to fulfill the demands of modern cricket. Couple of decades back players like Smith would have been described, and not too appreciatively as “bits and pieces”. And cricket has had a fair share of those, Ronnie Irani, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Andrew Hall, Chris Harris the list can be quite long actually. And all these players have achieved limited to considerable success, but the bulk of them were tried, re-tried and rejected eventually. However the qualitative nature of cricket has undergone a paradigm shift. This probably has to do with the fact that a couple of decades back when these bits and pieces players were plying their trade, LOI’s meant Limited Over Internationals – the 50-0ver game. Cut to the present day, the 20-20 format has spread like the proverbial virus. And along with the other changes it has initiated, one certainly is the change in cricketing vocab. Enter the “utility player”. Steven Smith, Angelo Mathews, James Franklin, Andre Russell will find their names under this heading.

The considerable success that Pune Warriors India have achieved this season has much to do with the fact that it has players like Smith and Mathews are in their ranks. The “utility player” is one who is capable of playing a cameo down the order, not just proper cricketing shots, but can also improvise. They can both, hold fort if the top order fails and catalyse a good start if they are given one. They can also bowl down a few key overs, playing the role of the critical 5th bowler. Thereby the redeeming the faith of the selectors who have picked that extra batsman in the line up. Then comes the bit about fielding. The reason Steven Smith has grabbed so many eyeballs is he’s absolutely electric in the field. He’s agile, reliable and bestowed with a dead eye. Consider the stats, in 66 T20 matches Smith has a strike rate of 120.54 and 51 wickets at an average of 18.94. He was also a key member of the Sydney Sixers squad who clinched the inaugural BBL trophy.

Although his bowling skills have not been put to use by Sourav Ganguly, he has made his mark quite indelibly. 20 years back the bits and pieces players would have found it difficult to make it to the test team. But its no longer the case anymore, Smith to his credit has appeared in 5 test matches while Mathews is a permanent fixture in the test team, when he is not injured. Franklin has improved his batting incredibly well, he can tuck around the singles and strike the lusty blows. He was always the nagging bowler, who got away most of the time by bowling a loose delivery. His fielding though is at best, unremarkable.

Steven Smith is the most promising Australian spinner since Shane Warne emerged – but he is more than that. He carries the extra advantage of being an outstanding batsman who could soon slot in to the top six for his country on a permanent basis, whether he bowls or not. By the age of 21 he was made into Australia’s Test, one-day and Twenty20 teams, picked on promise and quickly showing the composure of a seasoned professional. There were words of caution about his early elevation, but there was no hiding the excitement about a player who gives the ball air, hits it hard, catches it at will and seems unbothered by pressure. That perhaps is just about the apt definition of the modern day “utility” player. And the game is sure to benefit from it.