Tags: Australia India tour 2024-25, Australia vs India, 4th Test at Melbourne, December 26-30, 2024, India, Australia, Steven Peter Devereux Smith
Posted on: December 27, 2024
Scorecard | Commentary | graph
In the history of competitive cricket, few players have consistently tormented Indian bowlers like Stephen Smith. As India look for Australia’s final wicket on the second day of the fourth Test in Melbourne, Smith will have to be watched more closely to see if he can excel against the Men in Blue.
The story the numbers tell
Smith’s statistics against India are astonishing. No team can stand toe-to-toe with his consistency and prolific runs like India. In 43 innings, Smith scored 2306 runs at an average of 62.32, the best he can boast of against a Test playing nation with a respectable playing record. He is averaging a surreal average of 124.57 against the West Indies, but that has come in just 15 innings. Smith’s work against India is extensive and continues to be influential.
relentless form
India’s bowlers rarely get a break against Smith. His longest drought of centuries against India spanned 10 innings from January 2021 to mid-2023. Even during this period, Smith managed several promising starts, including two half-centuries. His ability to negotiate India’s powerful attack featuring the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja has been a hallmark of his batting.
morning of milestone
The second day in Melbourne was a match between Smith and Australia. resume from wrinkles, Smith reached his 34th Test century. Covering Nitish Kumar with perfect timing in his signature style. As usual, Smith did not rest on his post-century laurels as he attacked India’s bowlers, including audacious over-the-shoulder sixes against Bumrah and Siraj.
By lunch, Smith’s dominance had put Australia in a commanding position. His 112 runs alongside Pat Cummins, who scored 100 runs in just 90 minutes, laid the foundations for a huge total.
A classic inning ends with a unique dismissal.
Smith’s extraordinary innings ended in a manner befitting his enigmatic style. Advancing down the pitch to Akash Deep, he tried to hit the ground but only managed the inside edge of his back leg. The ball spun and dribbled off the bail like a child’s leg breaking. Smith could only watch in dismay from three meters down the track. The dismissal, officially recorded as a bowling, felt like a comical self-abstraction, marking a rare blemish on an otherwise stellar performance.
India’s bowling woes
Mohammed Siraj endured a hot morning while Bumrah continued to harass Smith and company. Siraj, who leaked 46 runs in 6 overs, failed to extract the same assists from the pitch as his teammates. Smith capitalized by sending short balls in a disdainful manner and punishing pitch deliveries by charging down the track. Rohit Sharma’s decision to change his position in the middle to coach Siraj highlighted the difficulties of India’s second-order pacer.
The battle continues
Smith’s innings is over, but the impact remains. Australia appears ready to rely on his outstanding ability to dictate terms in this important Test. The challenges ahead for India are daunting, but not insurmountable. Meanwhile, cricket fans can’t help but marvel at seeing one of the game’s best players win against one of the best bowling line-ups.
Smith’s ability to dominate, adapt and entertain has continued to elevate him into the pantheon of Test cricket legends. There remains hope that India will soon discover the secret to neutralizing the enigma that is Stephen Smith.