The South African-born English cricketer, who played from the late 1980s, scored more than 4,000 Test matches.
Published December 2, 2025
Former batsman Robin Smith, a World Cup finalist with England in 1992, has died aged 62, his former club Hampshire said on Tuesday.
Born in South Africa to British parents, Smith played 62 Tests and 71 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for England, scoring 13 centuries.
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He suffered from depression and alcoholism after his retirement and last week told British newspapers about his personal struggles.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of legendary batsman Robin Smith,” Hampshire posted on social media platform X.
Robin Smith established himself as a belligerent middle-order batsman known for his hitting ability against fast bowlers. He averaged 43.67 in Tests, the highest among all contemporary English players when he was dropped after a series in South Africa in 1995-96.
“It's a sad day… At that time, in the 80s and 90s, he was England's best batsman,” Smith's former Hampshire team-mate Kevan James tearfully told BBC Radio Solent.
“He was a super player, particularly a fast bowler in an era when the West Indies had all these fast bowlers. He was one of the few England batsmen to face them and basically gave his best.”
Smith was the brother of fellow England international Chris Smith, who played his last Test at Leeds two years before Robin's England debut at the same ground in 1988.
Nicknamed “The Judge” for having hair curled like a judge's wig, Robin Smith scored 175 against the West Indies in Antigua in 1994, the same Test in which Brian Lara scored a record 375 runs.
Smith also scored an unbeaten 167 against Australia in 1993, which remained the highest innings by an England player in an ODI until 2016, when Alex Hales made 171 against Pakistan.
“Robin Smith was a player who went toe-to-toe with some of the fastest bowlers in the world, facing periods of hostile fast bowling with a defiant smile and incredible stamina,” said England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Richard Thompson.
“He did it in a way that gave England fans enormous pride and a huge amount of entertainment.”
