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Steve Smith and Joe Root are the world's premier Test batsmen

6th November, 2015
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Steve Smith got out in an uncharacteristic manner. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
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6th November, 2015
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Australian skipper Steve Smith and England all-rounder Joe Root are not only the most successful of the current Test batsmen, but the most exciting.

Smith (26) and Root (24) have both been ranked the best in the world. It’s Root’s turn at the moment, with Smith second.

And they have the two highest career Test averages among current players who have batted at least 60 times.

Smith is 14th on the all-time list with his 56.12 average, Root 18th with 54.90.

By any standards, those are mighty achievements.

But Smith has achieved even more by captaining his country, although there’s little doubt Root will captain England in the not too distant future.

There have been 45 Australian captains since Dave Gregory first tossed the Test coin at the MCG against England in 1877 for what has become the nation’s highest sporting honour.

Ian Craig’s the youngest at 22 years and 194 days when he first captained Australia in 1957.

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Kim Hughes was 25 years and 57 days when he was first appointed in 1979.

Smith was 25 years and 198 days last year when he captained against India.

And Billy Murdoch’s the fourth youngest at 25 years and 324 days when he first skippered Australia in 1880.

But this is a Smith-Root comparison with the bat exercise.

Smith debuted against Pakistan at Lord’s in July 2010, Root against India at Nagpur in December 2012.

Apart from the 17 months gap, the two are surprisingly close.

Both have batted 64 times with Smith having eight not outs, Root nine.

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Smith has scored 3143 runs at an average 56.12, Root 3020 at 54.90..

Smith has scored 11 Test centuries, top score 215, and 12 half-centuries, Root eight and 16, with a top score of 200 not out.

Smith has struck 349 boundaries with 27 sixes, and taken 26 catches – Root 330 boundaries, 12 sixes, and 37 catches,

But the more interesting stats from Australia and England’s points of view are how successful both have been in their respective first digs.

Smith has scored 2296 runs at an average of 71.72, with all 11 of his career Test tons in the first dig and only four of his 12 half-centuries.

Root has scored 1966 first dig runs at 63.41, with seven of his eight Test tons, and eight of his 16 half-centuries.

Both the first dig stats for Smith and Root are well ahead of their career averages at a time when their teams most need them to fire.

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Their second dig stats make interesting reading in the overall picture.

Smith’s 847 at 35.29 with no tons and eight half-centuries – Root 1954 runs at 43.91 with one Test ton and eight half-centuries.

I couldn’t stop myself from digging into Don Bradman’s stats as the greatest batsman who has played the game – or who ever will.

Career 6996 runs at 99.94 with 29 tons and only 13 half-centuries, the greatest completion rate in history.

The Don’s first digs total 4697 at 97.85 with 19 centuries and five half-centuries.

The second digs total 2299 at 104.50 with 10 tons and eight half-centuries.

It was worth the dig as no batsman will ever get within the length of the straight of those Sir Donald Bradman feats.

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But Steve Smith and Joe Root are giving their supporters plenty to cheer about with more in store.

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