Steve Smith Achieves 36th Test Century, Joins Dravid and Root
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 7, Steve Smith achieved his 36th Test century during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, equalling the records of Rahul Dravid and Joe Root. This performance solidified his position as one of the top century-makers in Test cricket history.
Key Takeaways
- Steve Smith scored his 36th Test century.
- He equals Rahul Dravid and Joe Root's records.
- Smith played a captain's innings after early wickets.
- He became Australia's highest Test run-scorer in Asia.
- Smith surpassed Ricky Ponting's catch record.
Galle, Feb 7 (NationPress) The Australian cricket icon Steve Smith marked his 36th Test century on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Friday. This remarkable achievement places Smith alongside the renowned Rahul Dravid and England's Joe Root, making him the joint-fifth highest century-maker in the annals of Test cricket.
In the absence of Pat Cummins, Smith took on the role of captain and played a pivotal innings, stabilizing the team after they faced early setbacks. Coming in at 37/2, following the dismissals of Travis Head (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (4), Smith was under immediate pressure but remained resolute. He survived a close lbw appeal on his first delivery, with the Sri Lankan review revealing the ball was missing the stumps.
After scoring his first run on the sixth ball, Smith quickly found his stride, hitting Parabath Jayasuriya for a boundary through mid-wicket. He headed into lunch at 23 and formed a significant 54-run partnership with Usman Khawaja (36) before Khawaja fell early in the second session to Nishan Peris.
Refusing to be daunted, Smith teamed up with Alex Carey, and together, they forged a remarkable century partnership that frustrated the Sri Lankan bowlers and placed Australia in a dominant position.
Smith reached his fifty off 98 balls, executing a sweep shot with impressive accuracy. After achieving his half-century, he appeared completely in control, finding boundaries effortlessly through cover drives while effectively rotating the strike. Despite a few anxious moments—an edge that fell short of the slips and a ball that narrowly missed the stumps—Smith maintained his composure.
His landmark moment arrived when he pulled Kamindu Mendis for a boundary, marking yet another Test century in his illustrious career. This was his second consecutive century in the series, following his outstanding 141 in the first Test.
Additionally, Smith surpassed former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting to become Australia's highest Test run-scorer in the Asian subcontinent.
This achievement came just a day after he broke Ponting's record for the most Test catches by an Australian outfielder (197). Entering the match, Smith required 27 runs to eclipse Ponting's tally of 1,889 Test runs in Asia, which he accomplished shortly after lunch with a single off Sri Lankan spinner Nishan Peiris.
