Steve Smith Highlights Distinction Between 'Out of Form and Out of Runs' After Scoring Century at MCG
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Melbourne, Dec 27 (NationPress) Australia batsman Steve Smith, who stepped into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy following an 18-month period without a century, has emphasized the distinction between being ‘out of form and out of runs’ after achieving a magnificent century on Day 2 of the fourth Test.
Starting the day with an overnight score of 68 not out, Smith went on to make a remarkable 140 runs off 197 balls. His innings included 13 boundaries and three sixes, bringing him level with legends Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara in the all-time Test century list with his 34th ton.
The 35-year-old Australian now finds himself tied for seventh place in the history of century-makers, with India's Sachin Tendulkar leading the list at 51 hundreds. Smith’s performance at the MCG marked his second consecutive century, following his innings of 101 against India during the third Test of this series at the Gabba.
"At times, you can be hitting the ball quite nicely, which I mentioned to all of you when I wasn’t scoring runs. I genuinely felt I was batting well. There’s a difference between being out of form and being out of runs. I believed I was hitting the ball well," Smith was quoted as saying during the post-match press conference.
"You need to have faith. You have to trust what you’re trying to achieve. I’ve been in the game long enough to understand that there will be peaks and valleys. Having some faith and confidence is essential. There wasn’t a strict plan; it was simply about going out to play and assessing the situation," he stated.
Smith, along with significant contributions from Pat Cummins (49) and Mitchell Starc (15), built partnerships of 112 and 44 runs, respectively, aiding the hosts in establishing a commanding lead of 474 runs in the first innings.
"I thought Patty (Cummins) played exceptionally well, showcasing positive intent. We formed a solid partnership and were able to seize some momentum from that point onward," Smith added.
