A Look At Steve Smith's Incredible Numbers In The Ashes

The cricketing world will light up once again from June 16 onwards when the sports' biggest rivals, England and Australia lock horns with each other for the prestigious Ashes urn that has a history dating back to the 1880s. The hosts will be aiming to avenge their 4-0 loss in the 2021-22 season. Australia too will be aiming to win their first Ashes series in England in over 20 years. The hosts are also charged up by the 'Bazball' revolution brought by skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, which has seen England win 11 of their last 13 Tests and dominate their opponents with an attacking, aggressive and positive cricket that aims for victory.

A lot of eyes during this series will be on Australia's star batter Steve Smith. Smith is regarded as the most decorated Test batter of this generation and one of the most prolific stars in the Ashes series as well.

In 97 Tests, Smith has scored 8,947 runs at an average of 60.04. He has scored 31 centuries and 37 half-centuries in his Test career, with the best score of 239.

Smith has the second-highest batting average in Tests among players who have scored 5,000 runs in cricket, next to compatriot and legend Don Bradman (99.94).

He is the fourth-highest run-scorer from Australia and overall fifth in the history of The Ashes. In 32 matches, he has scored 3,044 runs at an average of 59.68. He has scored 11 centuries and 11 fifties in 56 innings, with the best score of 239.

Smith is behind Steve Waugh (3,173), Allan Border (3,222), Jack Hobbs (3,636) and Don Bradman (5,028) in the run-scoring charts and would be aiming for a record-breaking season to surpass Hobbs's tally.

Besides Bradman (19 centuries), Hobbs (12 centuries) and Waugh (10 centuries), he is one of the four