Steve Smith eyes IPL return after MLC success
What's the story
Australian cricketer Steve Smith, has expressed his desire to return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) following a successful stint in USA's Major League Cricket (MLC).
The 35-year-old batter, who was overlooked for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup and Australia's impending Scotland and England tour, led Washington Freedom to their first-ever MLC title.
Smith ended the T20 tournament as one of the top run-scorers for his team. He was adjudged the Player of the Final.
Knock
Smith's outstanding performance in MLC final
In the MLC final against San Francisco Unicorns, Smith delivered an impressive performance by scoring an 88 off just 52 balls.
This was against a formidable bowling line-up that included Australian skipper Pat Cummins and Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf.
His outstanding performance earned him the player-of-the-match award and further highlighted his potential for a successful IPL comeback.
IPL ambitions
Aspirations for IPL comeback
Smith has not featured in the IPL since 2021, after failing to secure a contract in the last two auctions.
Despite this setback and being overlooked by national selectors who favor younger players, he remains optimistic about his cricketing future.
"I'd certainly love another opportunity at IPL," Smith told FOX Cricket.
Smith feels that he has performed well in recent T20 cricket opportunities and franchise games.
Exclusion
Smith on being excluded from T20I squad
Smith also addressed his exclusion from international T20 matches, stating he is unsure about the selectors' plans.
He acknowledged that they have new players they want to introduce and was not overly concerned about this decision.
"I'm not that fussed. I'll just go about my business, keep trying to improve and get better," he said, demonstrating his resilient attitude toward his cricketing career.
Stats
Highlights from Smith's T20 career
Smith finished as the second-highest run-scorer in 2024 MLC. He smashed 336 runs at an incredible average of 56.00. His strike-rate reads 148.67.
Overall, the 35-year-old has 5,633 runs in T20 cricket. As many as 1,094 of his runs have come for Australia in internationals.
Smith has played over 100 games in the IPL, having scored 2,485 runs. He led the Rising Pune Supergiants to the 2017 final.