Former Australian opener David Warner believes Steve Smith will score “five centuries” against England in the Ashes, starting on November 21 in Perth. Smith marked his return to competitive cricket with
a remarkable 118 for New South Wales against Queensland at the Gabba in the Sheffield Shield on Wednesday.
During his 176-ball innings, Smith hit 20 fours and one six, showcasing excellent form before stepping in as Australia’s stand-in captain for the first Ashes Test, with Pat Cummins ruled out.
“If Steve Smith can score big runs this summer, they’ll be fine. If Smith gets on a roll and starts scoring runs, it will be a challenge for England,” Warner told Fox Cricket.
In 2025, the Australian batter demonstrated his skill by accumulating 515 runs in six Tests at an average of 51.50, including two centuries and two fifties. His last Test assignment for Australia was a tour of the West Indies in June-July, where he scored 127 runs in four innings at an average of 31.75, with one fifty and a highest score of 71. Smith currently has 36 Test centuries, just five short of Ricky Ponting’s Australian record of 41.
Considering Smith’s current form, Warner is optimistic about Smith equalling Ponting’s record. “I reckon he’s got five centuries in him. He only had one net session the other day and came out and scored a hundred today; that’s Steve Smith,” Warner said.
Throughout his career, Smith has achieved several accolades, including the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the World Test Championship. However, he has yet to win a Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in India. With the next edition commencing in January 2027, Warner supports Smith to continue playing Test cricket through the next BGT.
“The one thing missing for him is winning in India. He knows his body now, he knows what he’s capable of – if he wants to get to that Indian series, he will,” Warner added.
