Steve Smith Tops Cricket Legends With India Feat
Steve Smith’s incredible batting prowess was on full display during the second day of the highly anticipated World Test Championship final at the historic Oval cricket ground. In a remarkable feat, Smith effortlessly scored his 31st Test century in just two balls, solidifying his position as one of Australia’s greatest batsmen of all time.
Smith’s century in the WTC final not only placed him among the elite group of Australian cricketers with the most Test centuries but also highlighted his dominance over the Indian team. With this ton, Smith now has an impressive tally of nine Test centuries against India, making him the joint record holder alongside England’s Joe Root. In achieving this milestone, Smith surpassed legendary cricketers such as Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards, and Garfield Sobers, all of whom had eight centuries each against India.
When it comes to visiting batters with the most Test centuries in England, Steve Smith’s seven tons position him in second place alongside the great Steve Waugh. However, it is the incomparable Don Bradman who reigns supreme at the top, having scored an astounding 11 centuries on English soil.
The decision by the Indian team management to drop premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the crucial WTC final received strong criticism from Australian cricketing icons Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting. Ashwin, currently the top-ranked bowler in Test cricket and India’s leading wicket-taker in the 2021-23 WTC cycle, was left out of the playing XI as the Indian team opted to strengthen their pace attack by fielding four seamers.
Hayden expressed his surprise and disappointment at Ashwin’s omission, emphasizing the off-spinner’s pivotal role in the team’s success. He noted that Ashwin’s absence was a significant factor to consider from Team India’s perspective, given his exceptional performance throughout the Test cycle.
The repercussions of Ashwin’s absence were evident as India struggled to contain the Australian batsmen on the first day of the final. With Ravindra Jadeja as the sole spinner in the playing XI, India found it challenging to break the formidable 251-run partnership between Travis Head, who scored a brilliant century, and the imperious Steve Smith, who fell just short of his own century.
Head’s scintillating century, his first on English soil, combined with Smith’s resolute batting display, firmly placed Australia in the driver’s seat at the end of day one. With an imposing total of 327/3 on the scoreboard, the Australian team undoubtedly emerged as the victors of the opening day’s play.
As the WTC final enters its third day, all eyes will be on Steve Smith as he aims to convert his near-century into a well-deserved hundred. The Indian team, on the other hand, will be pondering their decision to exclude Ashwin from the playing XI and contemplating potential strategies to counter the Australian batsmen and turn the tide in their favor.
Cricket enthusiasts around the world eagerly anticipate the remaining days of this enthralling encounter, hoping for more records to be shattered and witnessing the emergence of a deserving champion in the inaugural World Test Championship.
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