Numbers tell the tale

Smith’s stats against India are remarkable. No other team has borne the brunt of his consistency and prolific scoring like India. In 43 innings, Smith has scored 2306 runs at an average of 62.32, the most against any Test playing nation, with notable performances. While he has a fantastic average of 124.57 against the West Indies, it comes from just 15 innings. Against India, Smith’s work has been massive and consistently impressive.

continuous form

Against Smith, India’s bowlers have rarely had a reprieve. His longest drought between centuries against India spanned ten innings from January 2021 to mid-2023. During this period too, Smith managed two half-centuries and several promising starts. His ability to negotiate India’s formidable attack featuring the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja has been a highlight of his batting.

A Morning of Milestones

The second day in Melbourne belonged to Smith and Australia. resume at the crease, Smith completed his 34th Test century A perfectly timed push through Nitish Kumar’s cover, in signature style. True to form, Smith didn’t rest on his laurels after the century, attacking India’s bowlers, including brutal over-the-shoulder sixes against Bumrah and Siraj.

By lunch, Smith’s dominance had taken Australia to a commanding position. His 112-run partnership with Pat Cummins, who scored 100 runs in just 90 minutes, laid the foundation for a mammoth total.

A unique dismissal ends a classic innings

Smith’s extraordinary innings ended befitting his enigmatic style. Moving down the pitch towards Akash Deep, he tried to slap the ground but could only manage an inside edge on his back foot. The ball, spinning and dribbling like a leg-break from a toddler, shatters the bails. Smith could only watch in despair from three meters below. Officially recorded as bowling, the dismissal felt like a comical self-runout, marking a rare blemish in an otherwise magnificent performance.

India’s bowling woes

While Bumrah continued to trouble Smith and Co., Mohammad Siraj faced a stormy morning. Leaking 46 runs in six overs, Siraj failed to get the same support from his teammates from the pitch. Smith capitalized, sending short balls with gusto and charging down the track to punish pitched-up deliveries. Rohit Sharma’s decision to shift himself to mid-off to guide Siraj underlines the struggles of India’s second fast bowler.

The war is on

Smith’s innings may be over, but his impact still lives on. Australia, riding on its brilliance, look set to dictate terms in this crucial Test. For India, the task ahead is daunting, but not insurmountable. Cricket fans, meanwhile, can only marvel at the appearance of one of the game’s greats against one of its best bowling line-ups.

Smith’s dominance, adaptability and ability to entertain continue to elevate him to the greatest of Test cricket’s greats. For India, hope they find the secret to neutralizing Steven Smith’s enigma soon.