‘Test cricket ka Baadshah’ – Fans react as Steve Smith scores terrific 121 against India in 2023 WTC final
Steve Smith has always loved scoring runs against India and has always loved getting big runs against them at the big occasion. At the World Test Championship final (WTC) Smith had reserved his best. He played a gritty innings and formed a destructive partnership with Travis Head who scored an authoritative 163 off 174 balls at a strike rate of 93.68 consisting of 25 fours and one six. In the end he got out for 121 off 268 balls with 19 fours.
When Smith got to the hundred with a boundary, it was his seventh century in England as a visiting batter. The former Australia captain became only the third player to score the most number of Test match centuries for Australia. He now has 31 hundreds and is only one behind Steve Waugh and 10 behind Ricky Ponting. Smith also holds a joint record with Joe Root, as he has scored the most number of tons against India; nine.
Steve Smith has scored 8792 runs in Test cricket
It was a great exhibition of batting against India in the finale. In his test career, Smith has racked up 8792 runs in 96 matches at an average of 59.81 and at an strike rate of 53.9. He has the highest score of 239. The right-hander has a superb conversion rate in Test cricket with 37 fifties and 30 hundreds to his name. Smith has been a rock-solid scorer in tests. His unorthodox batting technique coupled with his ability to score at different parts of the ground makes him a bowler’s nightmare.
India only had a few moments of hope when they had Australia on the ropes for a brief period at 76-3. Then Smith and Head wrested the match away from India’s grasp. The left-hand right-hand combination made India pay when they did not get their bearings right with the ball. While Australia are coming fresh into the contest having played less or little cricket, India are coming off a high-intense Indian Premier League at home.
Australia and India squared off against each other at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Indian soil. India won the four match Test series 2-1. India could not beat New Zealand in England at Edgbaston in 2021 at the last WTC final. Australia will face England at the Ashes after the WTC final.
Let us take a look at the reactions here:
Master of High intensity matches
Steve Smith #WTCFinal2023 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Iej484kg7V— D-PAC||ديبو (@deepu_speaks) June 8, 2023
Pehle Sachin,Sehwag,Dravid,Laxman bahut log the jinki batting dekhne mein maja aata tha test mein ball by ball….
Ab bas ek hi hai shayad STEVE SMITH 🔥🔥
— VK || SRKTIAN (@SRK_SRT) June 8, 2023
Fantastic innings by Travis Head. Some fight shown by India’s bowlers but up against a wall named Steve Smith. #IndiavsAustralia
— Hugh Macleod (@HughMacloud) June 8, 2023
Steve Smith is a legend..!!#WTCFinal
— September (@ekbeanbag) June 8, 2023
Great job on reaching 100 runs, Steve Smith You're an amazing player, Keep up the good work! That was an
incredible innings Steve. You really crushed it out there!
Take a bow GOAT!#INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/XvrWRqB2Ru— Ashh🔻 (@Foreheadkiss11) June 8, 2023
Steve smith is a great modern test cricket player. You are matchless sir… keep it high🇭🇲👍👍🇵🇰
— Taimoor Baloch🇵🇰🤲🇪🇭 (@Taimoor53141103) June 8, 2023
Steve Smith's rate of scoring Test 100s is incredible. Scored his 1st in Aug 2013, and his 31st in June 2023. Only 11 players have more tons than him and surely none have so many in a decade. Bear in mind he was banned for a year and has 5 more Tests before the decade is complete
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 8, 2023
He was just born to trash indian bowlers.
— Tom Gravestone (@Whygravestone) June 8, 2023
The player we want for India who stand up in big match like yuvraj, Gautam Gambhir rather than billetrals heros
— STARK (@starkt3000) June 8, 2023
Goat🐐🔥 pic.twitter.com/UQh6A11Nwr
— Pawan kumar (@Pawanar02106943) June 8, 2023