Australia v India third Test: Record-breaking Steve Smith century leaves Test in balance
Steve Smith claimed another record off Virat Kohli when he saluted his 27th Test century at the SCG - but the 'best since Bradman' knows he needs more than a century to save Australia.
Ben Horne
3 min read
January 8, 2021 - 6:44PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Steve Smith celebrates his ton.
For Steve Smith it was a long wait, but history says his 27th Test match hundred has come at breakneck speed.
Despite Smith’s triumphant return to the century club, there was no cork-popping in the Australian dressing room on Friday night, as a rugged fight awaits them at the SCG against an Indian side that refuses to back down.
Australia failed to capitalise properly on the platform set by Smith’s 131 and a 91 from Marnus Labuschagne, and a first innings total of 338 had been chipped down to a lead of 242 by stumps on day two, with India solidly poised at 2-96 in reply.
India may well have won the day, but there was something comforting about watching batting master Smith back to his best.
Smith’s emotional and almost fired-up reaction to reaching his milestone indicated that the 14 Test innings he had gone without scoring a ton had been weighing on him somewhat.
The 31-year-old admits the tightened-up leg-side bowling plans executed by New Zealand and India over the past two summers have forced him to recalibrate his batting arsenal and on Friday produce his first century on home soil since sandpapergate.
“I think the plans have been different. I feel in a way sometimes less likely to get out, but harder to score, if that makes sense,” said Smith.
Steve Smith celebrates his ton.
“And that’s probably shown in a few of the games over the past two years. Just with the fields that they’re setting and the way they’re bowling, I’ve had to scrap pretty hard for my runs.
“But this game I probably was a little bit more aggressive early and tried to put it back on the bowler.
“Absorb pressure when you need to, put pressure on when you need to and I thought I did that pretty well in this innings.”
His dazzling 131 was described by commentators as “drought breaking”, but it’s all relative, because only Sir Donald Bradman has scored his many Test hundreds in less time.
Smith joined Test greats Allan Border and Virat Kohli in the 27-ton club, and revealed he has bristled at some of the critiquing of his run of outs this summer.
“I read a lot of things and plenty of people said I was out of form. It was nice to come back into form if that’s what you want to call it,” said Smith, who had both his parents in the stands watching his third ton on his SCG home ground.
“It was only about three or four weeks ago I scored two hundreds at the SCG. It kind of just makes me laugh sometimes when people say that kind of thing.”
Smith has taken 136 innings to make 27 centuries, compared to 70 for Bradman, 141 for Kohli and 255 for Border.
Batting partner and protégé Labuschagne gave an insight into Smith’s single-minded determination to making big scores.
“It was pretty much business as usual for him,” said Labuschagne.
“He doesn’t talk to me until he’s on about 40, so I know the drill.”
Smith now has Michael Clarke (28 centuries), Bradman (29), Matthew Hayden (30), Steve Waugh (32) and even the great Ricky Ponting (40) in his sights.
Ponting said Smith’s dam-busting return to centre stage was predictable because class is permanent.
“It was only a matter of time,” Ponting said on Channel 7.
Still, India refuse to go away, and Australia need a big day three to ensure the tourists don’t head into the second innings with one hand on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
But Smith has now equalled the world record for most Test centuries against India with eight in just 25 innings – bringing him level with Sir Garfield Sobers (30 innings), Sir Vivian Richards (41 innings) and Ponting (51 innings).
Steve Smith is run out by a Jadeja special.
Australia lost 8-132 to ruin the golden chance they had to bat India into submission and things could have been quite alarming by stumps if it wasn’t for fast bowling geniuses Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins making desperately needed breakthroughs.
A superb caught and bowled grab by Hazlewood removed the dangerous Rohit Sharma for 26, before a superb catch from Cameron Green in the gully off Cummins got rid of young gun Shubman Gill (50) just as he was hitting his stride.
A Steve Smith century for the ages, another Australian batting collapse, rain, four stubborn Indians, a final session that would convert a Big Bash tragic – day two at the SCG was Test cricket at it's absolute best … and we've got three more days of action.
We reckon the WINVIZ match predictor might be broken because with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane at the crease Australia must be on its toes.
– India win 18%
– Australia win 58%
– Draw 29%
Thanks for coming and we'll see you bright and early tomorrow for another 10am start.
STUMPS SCORE: 2/96, India trails by 242
BIG SHOUT! No shot, Aussies go upstairs
Rich Lamberton
Nathan Lyon has rapped Ajinkya Rahane on the pads with the India skipper not offering a shot. Not out says umpire Paul Wilson but we're going upstairs. NOT OUT umpires call. If you're not offering a shot and it hits the wicket, like in this instance, it should be GOOOONE. Rahane survives … just.
One brings two! What a session of cricket and it's that man Pat Cummins who forces Gill into the drive, edging to gully, smart take by Cam Green. Ricky Ponting was asking for that line to Gill earlier. Cummins has Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane all at sea. Brilliant stuff.
Cummins earns high praise from former Test opener Michael Slater.
"Brilliant from Cummins. What a superstar. He was thrown the ball for another spell. Just like every other time he's got the ball in hand he's electric, he's in that zone and that is a tidy catch from Cam Green. We've seen him take a couple of beauties there. Now Australia on the fightback."
"What are we watching at the SCG? This series is just gripping just as it was two years ago, just as it is every time they play against each other. Occasionally, we get on the touch screen we do the state of play, that needle is just changing back a little bit in Australia's favour. 338. India trail by 253. Cummins is on a roll."
Ricky Ponting is in awe of Pat Cummins: "You don't get to the number one rank in the world for no reason. He's been outstanding for a few years now. It's just his consistency. No easy runs. No bad balls. He's on the money all the time and the pace stays the same. That's the great thing about him. If he starts at 140 on his spell he finishes at 140. There's no drop-off. "
Josh Hazlewood strikes! After a frustrating period for the big quick, the right-armer finally gets Rohit Sharma with an incredible return catch off his own bowling. Geez the big fella does well, had to drop low to his left to nab the flighted drive – but more importantly he's broken a promising opening stand. A big happy birthday to Josh Hazlewood as 'The Wall 2.0' Cheteshwar Pujara walks to the crease.
"Brilliant return catch, Josh Hazelwood. And the end of Rohit Sharma. Happy birthday, Josh Hazelwood. He's got the first wicket," Michael Slater shouts from the comms box.
"After we saw some frustration a little bit of aggression throwing the ball back towards the stumps and was there driving of this over. It's a good take because it was just starting to dive on him so brilliant. You never underestimate how difficult a caught and bowled is particularly when you're a fast bowler. He gets the reward and it's taken Australia a long time."
Rohit Sharma has survived being given out gloving one off Nathan Lyon. The India blaster reviewed the decision immediately and several replays, despite legside hotspot being impeded by Matthew Wade, showed Sharma didn't glove the ball. India is making its own luck here.
Former Test umpire Simon Taufel, speaking with Michael Slater, revealed why it was the correct decision despite not being 100 per cent conclusive.
Taufel: "It was unfortunate that technology really didn't help Bruce in any conclusive way. The shot for me that was key was from mid-off that showed a gap between the ball and the glove."
Slater: "I think we saw Tim Paine get some verbal clarification from the on-field umpire then as well. Before getting ready for the next delivery. E it's the bottom glove I can't really tell. When that's slowed right down, this is more the angle. So was it conclusive, Simon, ultimately?"
Taufel: "That's why we do have them pire sitting up there in the box and why they have to use the available angles and I'm sure Bruce would have asked the director, "Have you got any other angle to show me before I make my decision", that's why he has to work through all those different angles to be sure."
BIG SHOUT! Aussies go up but decline DRS
Rich Lamberton
Hazlewood back into the attack. THE AUSSIES GO UP AS ONE as Gill plays all around a beauty from Josh Hazlewood. Was there any bat? The Aussies don't think so. Yep, it's clipped the pocket. Good restraint from 'Trigger Finger' Paine.
Nathan Lyon, in tandem with the quicks, are bowling without luck here. Damien Fleming on the current state of play: "Ricky Ponting had given each of these two teams two sessions with one declared a draw. India have started this final session on top. They haven't lost a wicket. They've reached 50 but you get the feeling that a wicket could be around the corner. Lyon holding Rohit Sharma at one end. Quicks attacking from the other."
*How about the toughest Tasmanian on the planet copping a bit of retribution.
FINAL SESSION: The two hours that could decide the series
Rich Lamberton
Huge first over from Josh Hazlewood after the break – a maiden that had Sharma in all sorts. Coach Langer has obviously told his quicks to get their length up. Much better start from Australia.
But surely Nathan Lyon will have ball in hand sooner rather than later. Here's Rohit Sharma v Nathan Lyon in Test matches: five wickets, 103 runs off 197 balls, six sixes.
THE GOAT IS ON, THE GOAT IS ON! Maiden over to start, all in the 'good' area drawing Sharma into, as Kerry O'Keeffe would say, a forward press. This will be good theatre.
Few cracks appearing in the Aussies: miscommunication over field placements, Lyon asking Time Paine why David Warner is out of position. Not great signs.
And that's the 50 up for India off just 18 overs.
TEA BREAK: India openers in total control early
Rich Lamberton
Australia's formidable 'Cartel' has been unable to generate any sideways movement in the air or off the pitch.
While Pat Cummins has a knack of jagging a wicket on Road Warrior decks, Nathan Lyon holds the key for Australia. Jadeja showed there's plenty in it for tweakers but he must be well backed up by his four quicks.
That's TEA! India is 26 without loss after nine overs. Pleasing little session for the tourist. Can Australia find a breakthrough after the break? Stay with us to find out.
***How good was The Don?
The Don still just puts every other elite batsman in the shade. TWICE as fast as Steve Smith! #AUSvINDhttps://t.co/g8a2A3e094
Steve Smith ensconced his status as Australia’s Asian batting master as the skipper and Alex Carey drove the tourists towards the verge of a rare Test series win in the subcontinent.
