Steve Smith's 3 best Test knocks against India
Steve Smith is set to play a massive role for Australia as they vie for their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) mace when they face India at The Oval, London on June 7.
Over the years, the Australian vice-captain has proven himself to be one of the greatest batters of the modern era, while particularly reserving his best in the longest format of the game as a staggering average of 59.81 would suggest.
He has often brought his best to the fore against India, against whom he has played 18 Tests and compiled 1887 runs at an average of 65.07, with five fifties and eight centuries against the subcontinental giants. He has not only given a good account of himself at home but also away in India.
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As Smith turns 34 today (June 2), we look back at his three best Test knocks against India ahead of Australia's all-important WTC final.
#3 192 in Melbourne, 2014
Smith was batting on a different planet when India toured Australia for a four-match series in 2014-15. With Michael Clarke injured after the first Test, he was also appointed captain for the rest of the rubber.
Having struck centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane, he turned in a Boxing Day classic and tore into the bowlers at will. Chris Rogers and Shane Watson set the tone with flamboyant half-centuries but thereafter, Smith piled on plenty of misery on a hapless Indian attack, as he waltzed along to his third hundred of the series.
The lower order wagged with Ryan Harris carting a half-century of his own. Smith was set for a double-hundred, only for Umesh Yadav to castle him eight runs short of the mark. Nevertheless, his stellar 192 ensured that Australia couldn't lose the contest as they retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
#2 178* in Ranchi, 2017
Smith took his batting to a whole new level during the tour of India in 2017, proving just why he was arguably the greatest Test batter of his generation. With the four-Test series level at 1-1 after two matches, Australia entered the contest in Ranchi looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss in Bangalore.
Once again, it was their captain who showed the way on the opening day, forging a solid partnership with Glenn Maxwell who walked in with the score reading 140/4. The duo turned a masterclass in negating Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and notched up outstanding centuries to put the visitors in the driver's seat.
Australia batted nearly two whole days before being bowled out for 451 as the skipper finished unbeaten on a 361-ball 178. Despite having to save the Test on the final day, the visitors managed to do so with a defiant vigil led by Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb.
#1 109 in Pune, 2017
111 at Dharamsala.
178* at Ranchi.
109 at Pune.
119 at Colombo.
145* at Galle.
5 Test hundreds from 16 matches in Asia - Incredible Steve Smith. https://t.co/PJSzt1Tvpy
Easily one of his best Test knocks to date, Smith's 109 on a raging turner in Pune was a masterclass of the highest order. With conditions extremely difficult for batting, the skipper dropped guard and churned out a sensational knock to dig in deep and bat India out of the contest.
Australia were bowled out for 260 in the first innings before Steve O'Keefe wreaked havoc with stupendous returns of 6/35 as the hosts were rolled over for 105. Smith was dropped on multiple occasions in the second innings, but one had to cut him a lot of slack purely owing to how difficult conditions were to bat on.
He never let any close shaves upset his concentration as he swelled Australia's lead to 439. O'Keefe pulled off an encore thereafter with exactly the same returns as the first innings as the Aussies romped home by 333 runs in what was a famous overseas victory.
Can Steve Smith turn in another masterful knock against India in the WTC final? Have your say in the comments section below!
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