3 milestones that were reached during Day 2 of the ongoing WTC 2023 final between India and Australia

Australia tightened their grip on the WTC final after their commanding performance on Day 2 on Thursday. The high-octane match is being played at the Kennington Oval in London.

After asking Australia to bat first, Team India's bowlers were a bit hit-and-miss in their approach. They leaked 469 runs in the first innings as Steve Smith (121) and Travis Head (163) dominated with the bat.

In reply, India needed their top order to fire. Unfortunately, for them, they crumbled against a well-planned bowling by Australia.

India lost their top four with only 71 runs on the board before Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane added 71 more runs for the fifth wicket. However, the Aussies ended the day with another success when they dismissed Jadeja for 48.

Stumps on Day 2! 🏏

India in deep trouble as they need another 118 runs to avoid a follow-on and trail by 318 runs with just 5 wickets in hand.

Big day tomorrow.

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At stumps on Day 2, India's score read at 151/5, with Rahane (29*) and KS Bharat (5*) in the middle.

Day 2 of the WTC Final also saw some milestones being reached. Here are the top three:

#3 Ajinkya Rahane completed 100 catches in Tests

Ajinkya Rahane, who made his Test comeback in the WTC final, is considered one of the safest catchers in the Indian team currently.

He bagged one catch (of Pat Cummins) in Australia's first innings on Thursday, which took his overall catches tally in Test cricket to 100.

Rahane is now only the seventh-ever Indian outfielder to bag over 100 catches in Test cricket.

#2 Travis Head now has the best strike rate in the 2021-23 WTC cycle (minimum 500 runs)

Australia v India - ICC World Test Championship Final 2023: Day Two. [Getty Images]

Travis Head came to the crease when Australia were in trouble at 76/3. However, with his counter-attacking approach, he put Australia on top and scored a magnificent 163 off only 174 balls.

Head is a natural hard-hitting batter, who likes to take on the opposition. He has exactly lived up to the billing all throughout this WTC cycle and scored at a brisk rate against India as well.

WICKET! 💥

Mohammed Siraj strikes, India have finally got the breakthrough after 285 runs.

End of an incredible knock by Travis Head 👏

🇦🇺 361/4

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Smashing 25 boundaries and a six in total, Head batted at a strike rate of 93.68. With this, he took his overall strike rate in the current WTC cycle (2021-23) to 82.04. This is now the best strike rate by any batter in this period (minimum of 500 runs scored).

Head surpassed India's Rishabh Pant in the tally. Pant, who played 21 innings and scored 868 runs in WTC cycle 2021-23, struck at a rate of 80.81. Head has so far scored 1371 runs in 37 innings in this cycle.

#1 Steve Smith has now scored the joint-most international centuries against India

Australia v India - ICC World Test Championship Final 2023: Day Two

A true genius of this generation, Steve Smith put on another masterclass against India in the first innings and notched up a special century at the Oval.

However, this isn't the first time he demolished the Indian attack with his dogged character and unorthodox batting.

Steve Smith shares the top spot with Ricky Ponting with his 14th Test century against India! 🏏🔥

Will he soon take the lead? 🤩

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In fact, Smith's 121 runs at the WTC final was his 14th international century against India. The modern-day great has registered nine Test centuries and five ODI hundreds against India.

Smith has now joined former Aussie legend Ricky Ponting on the list. Ponting also notched up 14 international centuries (eight in Tests and six in ODIs) against India.