Jamie Smith says IPL absence could be 'blessing in disguise'
What's the story
England cricketer Jamie Smith believes that his absence from the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) could be a blessing in disguise. The wicketkeeper-batter, who had a disappointing run during England's 4-1 Ashes defeat against Australia Down Under, is now focusing on improving ahead of England's Test summer. According to ESPNcricinfo, Smith scored just 211 runs with one half-century in five Tests during the Ashes series. And he went unsold in the IPL 2026 auction.
Performance review
Smith dropped from England's white-ball squads
Smith registered himself for the IPL 2026 mini-auction but went unsold. He had set a base price of ₹2 crore. He was subsequently dropped from England's white-ball squads for the Sri Lanka tour and the following T20 World Cup. Despite these setbacks, Smith is taking this extended break as an opportunity to improve his red-ball batting ahead of England's Test series against New Zealand in June.
Future plans
Would have loved to play in IPL: Smith
Speaking at Surrey's pre-season media day, Smith said he would have loved to go to the IPL. He considers it an opportunity to improve his white-ball game, which could also benefit his red-ball game. However, he is now glad for the chance to work on his red-ball skills at The Oval ahead of the County Championship season.
Test challenges
Smith had proven his worth with counter-attacking ton against India
Despite his struggles in Australia, Smith had earlier proven his worth at the international level with a stunning counter-attacking 184* against India at Edgbaston last year. He still boasts a decent Test average of 41.48, having scored 1,286 runs from 20 Tests. His tally includes 2 tons and 7 half-centuries. However, he could face competition for his Test spot from Jordan Cox and James Rew if they perform well this season.