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NEW DELHI: It was an eventful day for Steve Smith on the second day of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. The Australian batter etched his name in the record books by becoming the most successful century-maker against India in Test cricket, notching his 11th hundred against them in the first session.
Smith’s remarkable innings of 140 off 197 balls also marked his 34th Test century, making him the joint seventh-highest century-maker in Test cricket history. He joined the ranks of legends such as Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Younis Khan, and Mahela Jayawardene.
Scorecard: India vs Australia, 4th Test
Smith now trails only Ricky Ponting’s 41 hundreds as Australia’s second-highest century-maker. The all-time record remains with Sachin Tendulkar, who scored an unmatched 51 centuries.
However, Smith’s majestic knock came to an unexpected and bizarre end in the post-lunch session. Facing the first delivery of the 115th over from pacer Akash Deep, Smith charged down the wicket for an ambitious shot but dragged an inside edge onto his back leg. The ball then ricocheted onto the stumps, dislodging a bail.
Smith appeared momentarily stunned by the unusual dismissal, but he walked off with a smile amid a standing ovation from the MCG crowd. The dismissal was a testament to Smith’s dominance, as it took an extraordinary moment to bring his innings to an end.
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At the time of his dismissal, Smith was running out of partners, with Australia eight down. His audacious attempt at a big shot highlighted his intent but ultimately resulted in one of the more unusual moments of the match.
Smith’s imperious form at the MCG underscores his stature in the game. In 113 Tests, he has accumulated 9,949 runs at an average of 56.85, with 34 centuries and 41 half-centuries, cementing his legacy as one of the modern greats.
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