Stuart Broad competed against the Australian batsman in 32 contests and successfully removed him 11 times.
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Stuart Broad has confessed that he still lacks a consistent plan to remove the Australian star and warns that the Ashes could become a drawn-out contest if England cannot dismiss the batter during the initial stages.
Smith's Dominant Record
Steve Smith, regarded as one of the finest batters of this generation, holds an impressive average of 56.01 in the Ashes series with 12 centuries to his name.
Smith, who has participated in each England-Australia encounter since 2010-11, was the top scorer during the 2017-18 and subsequent 2019 matches, registering 687 and 774 runs while Broad was still in the national team.
The Bowler's Challenge
"It's vivid in my memory when he compiled that substantial innings in the 2017 Perth match and I couldn't avoid the sweet spot for the entire match," Broad commented on an interview.
"Every delivery I aimed ended up meeting the center of his blade."
"He possesses that particular mindset of the conditions favor me, and I plan to stay at the crease'."
Record-Breaking Performance
The English bowler succeeded in removing his opponent 11 instances in the longest format - three more than competing pitchers - yet confesses he still doesn't know a reliable method.
Smith's career average of 56.02 increases to 59.70 when playing at home. Only the legendary Ricky Ponting with 41 hundreds has scored more than Smith's 36 Test hundreds for Australia.
Facing the Batting Genius
Broad stated: "Naturally his method has developed throughout his career, but I continue to struggle to confidently state 'this is the way to remove him'."
"It shows a remarkable quality of his. He's exceptionally difficult to bowl against. At times it seems like you haven't delivered an weak offering and it still goes for a boundary."
Recent Form and Preparation
His output dipped somewhat between mid-2023 to late 2024 when he had 23 innings unable to make a ton, but he bounced back with two centuries against India in the previous season and made 131 and 141 runs against Sri Lanka at the beginning of 2025.
After a two-month break, he started his preparation for the upcoming series in October's final weeks and promptly made 118 in his comeback match.
Series Strategy
"To win the series, we must restrict his scoring to less than 50, correct?" Broad pondered.
"He will score a hundred, that's what he does."
"If he averages 40 runs, that would be no less than 15 below his career average, so you're performing excellently. I believe it's crucial to dismiss him before he settles."
"Unless England fail to achieve removing him within the first forty scoring shots, it promises to be a long series."
Evolution of Tactics
England has tried multiple strategies to counter Smith's unconventional technique over 14 Ashes series matches.
Broad discussed creating a fresh away-swinger specifically for Smith before last year's contest, while England has targeted his pads, pitched away from the third stump and experimented with the close-in leg-side field during that year's matches - a series that Smith commenced with two consecutive tons at that venue.
Unforgettable Instances
"It comes to mind when Jason Roy was positioned at leg gully, and he repeatedly dove in both directions for the initial thirty balls, narrowly missing repeatedly," the bowler remembered.
"Smith escaped, got double tons in that contest, remarkable performances."
The bowler continued: "I recall sitting in a bowlers' meeting about the Australian batsman in that season and the coaches proposed maybe we can test attacking his stumps early'}."
"Interesting suggestion, could we examine how many times his stumps have been hit in home matches during recent years?' Just once."
Fast Bowling Option
The next encounter, beginning in the Western Australian city (specific timing), will probably involve the batsman confronting Jofra Archer for their initial test meeting since the previous encounter, when he experienced difficulties and hit by a short ball during the fast bowler's intense over at Lord's.
The batsman has always pointed out that the bowler didn't get him in that particular Test - he temporarily retired and got out later leg before wicket to Woakes upon coming back - though the bowler succeeded to dismiss him on a horizontal bat in a one-day international during 2024.
"Could the fast bowler provide the answer?" Broad asked. "Making him nick from short of good length, just chasing it."
"Since Archer possesses that angle of nipping back towards the wickets, can he deliver one that moves away? Smith's anticipating the inward movement."
