Jamie Smith, once tipped for international success by England legend Alec Stewart, has already delivered a string of standout performances just one year into his Test career. The 24-year-old wicketkeeper marked his anniversary in style, smashing an unbeaten 184 against India at Edgbaston—England’s highest-ever Test score by a keeper, overtaking Stewart himself.
Rising to Big Challenges
Smith walked in after England lost Joe Root and Ben Stokes in back-to-back deliveries. Showing no fear, he struck his first ball for four and went on to hammer the Indian bowlers in a record 303-run stand with Harry Brook.
“𝑺𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍,” 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌.
Despite replacing Ben Foakes, considered the world’s best gloveman, Smith has proven he can be the aggressive number seven England wants.
Power Game Transformed
Before his Test debut, Smith was overlooked for Surrey’s T20 top order and turned down an England Lions tour to work on his power hitting in the UAE’s ILT20. He also spent time in the gym to bulk up, which paid off in his rapid scoring.
“𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅’𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓,” 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑬𝒅𝒈𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒖𝒍𝒕.
Smith’s 80-ball century tied him for the second-fastest Test hundred by a wicketkeeper, behind only Australia’s Adam Gilchrist—whose legacy he is already being compared to.
