Steve Smith Scores 36th Test Century, Matches Dravid and Root’s Feat
: Australian batting stalwart Steve Smith scored his 36th Test century on day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Friday.
Galle: Australian batting stalwart Steve Smith scored his 36th Test century on day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Friday.
With this remarkable achievement, Smith has now equalled the legendary Rahul Dravid and England’s Joe Root in the list of most Test centuries, making him the joint-fifth highest century-maker in Test history.
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Captain’s Knock in the Face of Early Struggles
Smith, leading Australia in the absence of Pat Cummins, played a captain’s knock, anchoring the innings after the visitors suffered early setbacks. Australia was at a precarious 37/2 following the dismissals of Travis Head (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (4). Despite the early pressure, Smith remained unfazed, surviving a close lbw appeal on the first ball, which was overturned upon review, with the ball missing the stumps.
Once he got off the mark on his sixth delivery, Smith quickly found his rhythm, dispatching Parabath Jayasuriya for a boundary through mid-wicket. He went into lunch on 23, then built a crucial 54-run partnership with Usman Khawaja (36) before the latter fell early in the second session to Nishan Peris.
Partnership with Alex Carey and Steady Progress
Undeterred by the dismissal of his partner, Smith found an able ally in Alex Carey. Together, they frustrated the Sri Lankan bowlers with a massive century partnership, pushing Australia into a commanding position.
Smith brought up his fifty off 98 balls, executing a sweep shot with precision. After reaching his half-century, he was in full control, finding boundaries at will and rotating the strike effectively. Despite a few nervous moments, including an edge falling short of the slips and the ball narrowly missing the stumps, Smith maintained his composure.
Milestone Century and Australian Record
Smith’s milestone moment came when he pulled Kamindu Mendis for a boundary, bringing up his 36th Test century. This was his second consecutive century in the series, following his impressive 141 in the first Test.
In addition to the century, Smith surpassed former Australia cricketer Ricky Ponting to become Australia’s highest Test run-scorer in the Asian subcontinent. This milestone came a day after Smith broke Ponting’s record for the most Test catches by an Australian outfielder (197). Heading into the match, Smith needed 27 runs to overtake Ponting’s tally of 1,889 Test runs in Asia, a feat he achieved shortly after lunch, with a single off Sri Lankan spinner Nishan Peiris.
