Jamie Smith has proved beyond any doubt that he has a long and likely glorious future in England’s Test side after his epics at Edgbaston. But, despite the comparisons to other hard-hitting fabled wicketkeepers, it’s hard to envisage him playing that role permanently in England’s Test future.
Smith’s 80-ball ton in Birmingham transcended what could have been expected of him. There were signs when he dipped his toes in the water previously; the blitz against Sri Lanka at The Oval, a rescue effort in Rawalpindi and even in how he powered England over the line at Headingley the week before. But, backs against the wall, facing Mohammed Siraj breathing fire through his nose on a hat-trick ball, decisively crunching it for four before hitting a fearless ton, embodied the spirit of Stokes’ England and then some. There was also nuance, an intelligence in switching to milking the singles after lunch, and building a huge partnership with Harry Brook. In essence, it heralded Smith’s transition from rising star, to full-on prodigy.
That innings, the way Smith tore Washington Sundar apart, slog swept with the right amount of confidence that didn’t quite reach arrogance, released some of the longings of what could have been from England wicketkeepers past. It brought to the surface the ache for Jos Buttler’s white-ball superpowers that never quite translated into Test explosions, and quelled some of the hole left by Smith’s direct predecessors. When Smith came into the side, it was at the expense of both Ben Foakes and Jonny Bairstow. One a virtuoso behind the stumps who passed assignments with the bat without setting the world alight, and one who at times was the closest England have been to their search for an Adam Gilchrist response.
What happened in Bairstow’s career is now what England must avoid with Smith. There are parallels to draw between both, starting their Test careers in that lower middle-order role before calls for promotion to best utilise their obvious prowess. In Bairstow’s case, it’s telling that he found his zenith when his role was at its clearest; a powerful No.5 without the gloves and Stokes still to come in behind him. For Smith, a similar role could await.
Until now, having Smith at No.7 has made perfect sense. It’s helped England’s XI to reflect a more traditional balance while still having that promise of a devastating counter-attack down the order. It’s also allowed England to field a proper top six, fitting Joe Root at his preferred No.4 and stacking their middle order with Brook and Stokes. Smith’s role has complete clarity, and he’s taken ownership of it.
However, how circumstances are already developing, and will continue to do so down the line, might change that. Stokes’ batting decline brings a case for Smith to move one place above him in the order, a change that could perhaps benefit both. Smith will still have license to counter-attack, and getting him in earlier while in the kind of form he’s shown so far in the series seems sensible. It would also put him in the position from which his first Test hundred came, when he was promoted in Stokes’ absence against Sri Lanka last year. Equally, moving one place down might free Stokes up slightly to unleash alongside the tail.
A hundred to remember from Jamie Smith 👏#JamieSmith #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/qPnTEmpDwA
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 4, 2025
Moreover, making that small change now might pave the way to transition Smith away from the gloves altogether in the future. Smith rarely takes the gloves for Surrey, where Foakes will never have them wrestled off his hands. In his last 15 County Championship matches, Smith has been Surrey’s No.4 – bar one appearance at No.3 – and averaged well over 50 last year. At some point, possibly in the next few years, a spot will open up in England’s middle order that hasn’t been available in over a decade, when Root decides his time is up. When that time comes, Smith feels like he would be a perfect fit to move up and step away from the gloves. With England already courting Jordan Cox and James Rew, the changeover would be natural.
There is an alternative path which, although unlikely, might not be out of the question. Smith has already been earmarked as England’s white-ball opener in both formats. With one mind presiding over both teams, it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine Smith being asked to do the same job across all three. The prospect of a Ben Duckett and Smith Test opening partnership is as mouth watering as their white-ball combination, and both are undoubtedly two of England’s three leading batters across formats. That move could also make room for England to fit Jacob Bethell into their XI, with Ollie Pope sliding down the order again to take the gloves, a role that revitalised him in New Zealand.
The sign of how integral Smith has become to England’s XI so quickly, and how emphatically he has stamped his authority down after having to step back over the winter, is that he could occupy any role in England’s batting order and still be wanted elsewhere. The McCullum-Stokes philosophy has been to pick the best batters in the country, regardless of the position they bat in. Nobody personifies that philosophy more than Smith does.
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