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Broad revealed that he hasn't figured out an effective strategy to get out Steve Smith and warns that the historic series could become an extended struggle if England doesn't get Smith during the initial stages.

Smith's Remarkable Career

The 36-year-old batsman, who is considered a top-tier batters of this generation, boasts an outstanding average of over 56 in Ashes cricket with 12 centuries to his name.

Smith, who has participated in each England-Australia encounter since the 2010-11 season, dominated the batting charts during both the 2017-18 and 2019 matches, registering 774 and 687 runs respectively while the English bowler was part of England's squad.

Broad's Frustration

"I recall when he scored that massive double century in Perth during 2017 and every delivery seemed to hit the sweet spot for the full duration," the bowler revealed on a cricket podcast.

"Each ball I aimed simply found the center of his blade."

"He possesses that specific approach of the conditions favor me, and I plan to stay at the crease'."

Record-Breaking Performance

Broad managed to dismiss his opponent 11 instances in Test matches - three more than any other bowler - yet reveals he remains unaware of a consistent weakness.

The batsman's lifetime average of 56.02 rises to 59.70 when on home soil. Just the iconic the Australian legend with 41 hundreds has scored more than 36 hundred-run innings for Australia.

Technical Challenges

Broad remarked: "Obviously his method has developed over time, but I continue to struggle to definitely say 'this is the way to remove him'."

"It shows a remarkable quality of his. He's exceptionally difficult to confront. On occasion it seems that you haven't bowled a bad delivery and it still goes for a boundary."

Current Performance and Readiness

His output showed some reduction between June 2023 and December 2024 when he had 23 appearances failing to score a hundred, but he bounced back with double tons against India in the previous season and made 141 and 131 against the Sri Lankan team at the start of this year.

Following a 60-day pause, he began his preparation for the upcoming series in October's final weeks and promptly made a 118-run innings in his first appearance.

Game Plan

"To emerge triumphant, we must limit his average to less than 50, correct?" the bowler asked.

"He's going to make a hundred, it's his specialty."

"Should he maintain 40, that represents at least 15 less than his usual output, so you're performing excellently. I believe it's crucial to dismiss him early in his innings."

"If England don't succeed in his dismissal within the initial 40 runs, it will become a long series."

Changing Strategies

England has tried different approaches to address Smith's unusual approach throughout 14 years of Ashes contests.

The bowler mentioned developing a new outswinger aimed at Smith before the 2023 series, while England has targeted the area around his legs, pitched away from the off-side and even attempted for catches at leg gully during that year's matches - matches in which the batsman commenced with back-to-back hundreds at that venue.

Memorable Moments

"I recall when Jason Roy was fielding at leg gully, and he was diving side to side for the first 30 deliveries, barely failing to catch repeatedly," Broad described.

"The batsman survived, scored two centuries in that match, unbelievable innings."

Broad further stated: "I remember attending a planning discussion about Steve Smith in 2017-18 and someone mentioned 'oh, you could try targeting his wickets early'}."

"Interesting suggestion, let's verify how many times he's lost his wickets in Australian conditions during the previous five seasons?' Only one time."

Fast Bowling Option

The upcoming series, which starts in Perth on Friday (early morning GMT), will probably involve Smith batting against the English fast bowler for their initial test meeting since that year, when he was famously troubled and hit by a short ball during Archer's aggressive bowling at Lord's.

Smith regularly mentions that Archer failed to remove him in that game - he was forced to leave and was eventually out leg before wicket to Woakes upon resuming his innings - though Archer eventually got to have him caught on a horizontal bat in a one-day international during the previous season.

"Can Jofra Archer be that solution?" Broad asked. "Making him nick from that specific line, following the delivery."

"Because Jofra Archer has that trajectory of moving inward toward the wickets, could he produce a ball leaving the bat? The batsman expects the inward movement."