England cricket legend Robin Smith dies at the age of 62 in middle of Ashes 2025 series

Former England cricketer Robin Smith who was considered as one of England's finest players against fast bowling passed away at his home in Perth on Monday at the age of 62.

New Delhi: Former England cricketer Robin Smith passed away at his home in Perth on Monday at the age of 62. Smith was considered as one of England’s finest players against fast bowling, with his legendary cut shot leaving a lasting impression.

Robin Smith’s family announced “with the deepest and most profound sadness” that the former England batter has passed away at the age of 62. Robin passed away unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday, 1st December. The cause of his death is ‘unknown’

Robin Smith was England’s most liked cricketer

Robin, popularly known as “The Judge,” was born in South Africa in 1963 to parents John and Joy and was the younger brother of Christopher (Kippy) Smith. He became one of England’s most remarkable and well-liked cricketers, earning admiration for his bold, stylish batting.

Although Robin’s struggles with alcohol and mental health since his 2004 retirement are well known, his family has stressed that these should not lead to speculation about the cause of his death, which will be confirmed only after the postmortem examination. The family said this is an extremely painful time as they try to cope with their loss, and they have requested that the media and cricket fans respect their privacy.

From Robin’s loving family

Only two weeks ago, Smith visited the England Lions during their tour match at Lilac Hill in Perth, after receiving an invitation from coach Andrew Flintoff.

Smith spoke for more than an hour with the players and the support staff, offering advice making the step up to international cricket and recalling some of the stories from his remarkable career. He took pictures with the squad and offered his best wishes for the remainder of the tour.

Smith was born in Durban, South Africa, he later moved to England in 1983 to join Hampshire. He retired 17 years later at the age of 40, ending his career with 18,984 county runs and a legacy as one of Hampshire’s greats.

At the time of his retirement, Hampshire chair Rod Bransgrove described Smith as “the most influential player in the history of Hampshire cricket.“

Robin Smith’s 17-year long cricket journey

He made his debut for England in 1988, five years after joining Hampshire, sharing a 100-run stand for the fifth wicket with Allan Lamb, who later became a close friend. His played his maiden match against West Indies pace attack of Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, and his ability to stand firm against fast bowling soon became his trademark.

Smith represented England in 62 Test and 71 ODI matches from 1988 to 1996, and scored a total of 6,500 runs, which included nine centuries, at an average of 43.67. He was also a member of the England team that made it to the 1992 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final against Pakistan.

ECB Chair Richard Thompson said, “Robin Smith was a player who stood toe to toe with some of the quickest bowlers in the world, meeting spells of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and an incredible resilience. He did so in a way that gave England fans enormous pride, and no shortage of entertainment.“

“He was a batter ahead of his time which was typified in that unforgettable unbeaten 167 from 163 balls in an ODI against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993.“

“His record at Hampshire is exemplary, and he’ll be remembered rightly as a great of Hampshire CCC. We’re desperately sad to learn of his passing, and the thoughts of all of us in cricket are with his friends, family and loved ones.” he concluded