Former Australia cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe has backed Steve Smith to score big in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. While mentioning that he is at the end of his career, O’Keeffe backed that the pitch in Brisbane will suit Smith’s gameplay.
Steve Smith hasn’t been in great form recently with the bat. The legendary Australian batter, who has a stellar record in Test cricket, is yet to fire in the ongoing Test series against India. He will be under pressure when he goes out to bat in the third Test match.
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Kerry O’Keeffe backs Steve Smith to score big at Gabba
While speaking to Fox Sports ahead of the third Test, Kerry O’Keeffe claimed that Smith can score big in the match if the pitch becomes a little flat and the platform is set for him.
O’Keeffe cited an example of Smith’s last innings at the Gabba where he scored an unbeaten 91 against West Indies but was unable to take his team past the finish line.
“If this pitch loses its tinge and he goes in with a platform I think he can go big here, Steve Smith. He’s 35, he is in the twilight of his career. But I tell you it is all set up here. He is a track specialist. He could have won that Test against the West Indies last year. He got 91 not out opening the batting,” O’Keeffe said.
Steve Smith failed to take Australia to a win
Steve Smith scored 91 off 146 balls while opening the batting during the second Test between Australia and West Indies played earlier this year. He struck 9 fours and 1 six during his knock.
Smith remained not out till the end but couldn’t prevent Australia from losing the match in a shocking manner. Fast bowler Shamar Joseph produced a performance of the lifetime with 7-68 to take West Indies to a thrilling win.
Michael Vaughan on Steve Smith’s batting form
Meanwhile, former England skipper Michael Vaughan also backed Smith to get big runs and claimed that he couldn’t have done much about the ways he has been dismissed so far in the series.
“The first one nipped back it’s a beauty. The second one he gets one that nips away, it’s a good ball. Then he gets one down the leg side. So of the three dismissals you kind of go, there is not a great deal he can do about any of them,” Vaughan said on the same platform.
Smith has registered scores of 0, 17, and 2 in the first two Tests of the ongoing series. With just 19 runs in two Tests at an average of 6.33, the star Australian batter is under huge pressure to perform in Brisbane.
He has played 111 Tests so far and scored 9704 runs at an average of 56.09 with 32 hundreds and 41 fifties. At one time, he used to average more than 60 but it dropped down significantly after his form slump.