'He's one of the greats but...' - Glenn McGrath shares opinion on Steve Smith's T20I future

Steve Smith's T20I future has become the talk of the town following Australia's group-stage exit from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Smith was originally not picked for the marquee event but was added as a replacement following an injury to Josh Hazlewood before Australia's final two games against Sri Lanka and Oman, respectively.

However, Smith was not drafted into the playing XI for either game, and Australia's campaign ended with an eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka. They registered a consolation win over Oman by nine wickets in Pallekle to sign off on a high.

Had Smith been named originally, then it might have augured well for Australia as he was in blistering form during the course of the Big Bash League 2025-26. Smith joined Sydney Sixers following a victorious Ashes campaign on home turf and took the BBL by storm. He finished one shy of 300 runs at an average of 59.80 at a strike rate of 167.97, including a century and two half-centuries.

His blazing run helped Sixers qualify for the finals, where they lost to Perth Scorchers by six wickets and failed to secure their fourth title.

Australian bowling great Glenn McGrath lauded Smith's impressive run in the BBL and said "he's still got a bit of hunger" in him in terms of his future in T20Is.

"We'll wait and see," McGrath was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo at the MRF Pace Foundation ground in Chennai. "He's one of the greats but you've got to keep enjoying it and keep looking at ways to improve. I guess he had two ways to go: he can either retire from the game or enjoy it and keep improving. So the way he finished off the Big Bash season shows that he's still that adaptable player.

"In his peak, he was adaptable at Test cricket. If they set an off-side field and bowled those lengths he could just walk across and adapt. I think that was his strength. That he didn't have a set technique and could adapt to any situation. So it shows he's still got a bit of hunger there. Let's see what he's got left in him."