Steve Smith, one of the most accomplished batters of Australia, continues to attract attention both for his brilliance and his quirks. The former skipper, known for his sharp cricketing mind and unorthodox style, made headlines again, this time not for his batting but for an amusing moment before a domestic match.
Having recently struck a century in the Sheffield Shield, a promising sign for Australia ahead of the 2025–26 Ashes, Steve Smith took the field for New South Wales as captain for the first time in eight years. But during the toss against Victoria at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he left everyone laughing after an awkward coin toss that barely left his hand before dropping to the ground.
The incident drew lighthearted remarks from commentators, who joked that Steve Smith needed to practice tossing the coin, noting how the coin didn’t even rise above hip level. Victoria’s captain Will Sutherland ended up winning the toss and chose to bat first, while Steve Smith, laughing off the moment, prepared to lead his side on the field.
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The amusing episode came just weeks before Steve Smith is set to captain Australia in the opening Ashes Test in Perth, beginning November 21. He will step in for regular skipper Pat Cummins who has been ruled out of the first match due to injury. Steve Smith, who lost the captaincy in 2018 following the ball-tampering controversy, has since occasionally led the national side in Pat Cummins’ absence, having filled in as the captain six times since 2021.
The Australian head coach Andrew McDonald has expressed full confidence in Steve Smith’s leadership, describing him and Pat Cummins as a well-balanced pair who work seamlessly together. He added that Pat Cummins will still travel with the team to Perth to lend his support.
While Steve Smith’s coin-toss mishap provided a moment of laughter, his recent batting form remains the bigger story. With a century already under his belt and leadership duties ahead, the star batter will be aiming to turn his focus from comic relief to cricketing dominance when the Ashes gets underway later this month.
