Battered and Bruised: Will Steve Smith be able to turn tables on India?
Pre-series, a lot of the talk was around how many runs and centuries Steve Smith will be scoring against India. However, halfway through the series, Smith is yet to score even a boundary and has an aggregate of just 10 runs in four innings. With Sydney cricket ground set to host the 3rd Test match, Smith could find his feet back having scored twin centuries during the ODI series at this venue.
Steve Smith, in fact, has not scored a century in Test cricket for nearly 13 innings which is easily his longest streak without a ton in this format. With all odds stacked up in the need of a Smith comeback, it won’t be surprising if he comes up with a match-winning performance in this series. The Australian batsman had announced his return in style on many occasions whenever fingers raised over him.
History of bouncing back strong
With scores of 1, 1*, 0 and 8 in the ongoing series, Smith recorded only the 2nd instance of his Test career with four successive single-digit scores. The other such occasion was during the 2015 tour of England where the Aussies lost the series. After his 215 and 58 at the Lord’s, Smith registered scores of 7, 8, 6 and 5 across Nottingham and Birmingham which resulted in Australian defeats.
Smith ensured Australia returned home on high with a fighting ton at The Oval. Smith scored 143 from only 252 balls with 17 fours and two sixes. Australia ended up with 481 in their first innings and won the match with a margin of innings and 46 runs.
Coming back after the ball-tampering saga:
Steve Smith made a grand comeback to Test cricket after serving a ban for a year due to his involvement in the ball-tampering saga in South Africa. He smashed 144 on the first day of the Ashes at the Edgbaston and followed it with 142 in the 2nd essay to take Australia over the winning line. Just before his ban, Smith did not have convincing numbers with the bat in this format. During the South African tour of 2018, Smith had scores of 56 and 38 in the Durban Test where Australia went 1-0 up in the series.
Steve Smith on the moment that sent ‘shivers down his spine’ on day one at Edgbaston #Ashes pic.twitter.com/E3kY4XRdzS
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 1, 2019
However, he returned with scores of 25, 11, 5 and 7 during the Port Elizabeth and Cape Town Test matches. But Smith’s brilliant performances in Birmingham ensured he became only the 2nd Australian after Allan Border (4th player overall) to record 140+ scores in both innings of a Test match. Smith also smashed a double century at the Old Trafford by virtue of which the Australians retained the Ashes Trophy.
