'You've got to keep the faith': Centurion Smith says he never doubted ...
Steve Smith says he never lost faith in his batting ability after breaking a 536-day century drought on Sunday alongside fellow hundred-maker Travis Head on a dominant day for Australia at the Gabba.
The Border-Gavaskar Series pendulum swung Australia’s way after the hosts batted all 87.4 overs on day two to go to stumps at 7-405, with Head (152) and Smith (101) having combined for a 241-run fourth-wicket partnership.
Jasprit Bumrah continued his stunning series with another five-wicket haul (5-72), but the day belonged to a man who maintained his excellent form and a great of the game who answered his critics by snapping a drought stretching back to the Lord’s Test of last year’s Ashes series.
After 24 innings without a Test century – the longest wait in his decorated career since his first 22 visits to the crease – Smith made a slight technical tweak, bringing back a shuffle to the off side that became his trademark during previous purple patches. Smith also batted further out of his crease in an attempt to make contact with the ball earlier.
Smith joked after play that he had changed his technique every innings for the past 15 years. Whatever he did this time, it worked.
Early on day two, Smith played way outside the line of a ball that didn’t seam back in. It looked like he was recalibrating his game on the run, waiting for things to click back into gear.
Steve Smith celebrates after bringing up his century.Credit: Getty Images
But on 95, a gorgeous on-drive down the ground for four was evidence that he’d well and truly rediscovered his groove and balance.
With a tickle around the corner, Smith brought up his 33rd Test century, which moved him past Steve Waugh’s tally of 32 and level with England great Alastair Cook. Only Ricky Ponting (41) has more for Australia.
The passionate celebration that followed showed how much it meant to one of Australia’s greatest batsmen, whose lean run had left many wondering whether, at 35, he still had big runs left in the tank.
Smith says he had no doubt.
“I’ve played long enough to know the game turns. You’ve got to keep the faith,” Smith said. “I rode my luck today, got beaten a few times … on another day I might nick one. I felt like I was playing well. It was nice to get some rewards.
“It’s been a little while. It was cool to contribute today. I had a couple of nice balls and got strangled down the leg side. I feel like I’ve been batting well the last month. I’ve been trusting it will turn around.”
Head and Smith greeted each other at the crease with Australia at 3-75 and with work to do following the early wickets of Usman Khawaja (21), Nathan McSweeney (9) and Marnus Labuschagne (12).
There was a feeling of calmness when Head scratched centre, eight days after his swashbuckling 140 in Adelaide that effectively set up Australia’s second Test victory.
Travis Head celebrates his century with Smith.Credit: Getty Images
With 89 in the second innings of the opening Test in Perth, Head was already in career-best form but had yet to notch back-to-back centuries in the longest form of the game.
The left-hander’s ability to swing momentum is unparalleled at the moment. He dines out on anything wide outside the off stump, looks a million dollars to anything full and shows disdain to the short ball.
India, not for the first time this summer, had few answers as Head found a way to keep scoring off good balls.
“Nice to keep the ball rolling I guess, playing well,” Head said on Fox. “I feel like the first two Tests I’ve been moving well, playing well, but nothing is ever guaranteed, so it’s nice to come out and start again, build a nice partnership and be able to contribute.”
Nathan McSweeney walks off after being dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. Credit: Getty Images
It is not just the fact that Head hits a high percentage of boundaries – 18 fours on this occasion – but the remarkable speed at which the ball reaches the rope. His timing is impeccable and if he can maintain his appetite for runs, Australia’s hopes of beating India in a Test series for the first time in a decade look promising. He now has double the runs of any player in this series.
“The way he’s able to put the bowlers under pressure from the outset is incredible,” Smith said.
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When Smith tried to hit Bumrah too hard through the covers and was caught in the slips, it ended a 241-run partnership – the highest by an Australian pair against India at the Gabba.
Smith is now just 195 runs shy of reaching 10,000 and still boasts a career average of 56.35.
Head slashed at a wide Bumrah ball and was caught behind for his equal fourth-highest score in Tests, level with the 152 he made against England at the same venue three years ago.
Ten summers ago, it was Smith who was the unstoppable force, plundering four hundreds in four Tests against India for a return of 769 runs at 128. At the halfway mark of this series, Head has 392 runs at 98.
Useful contributions from Australia’s Alex Carey (45 not out) and Pat Cummins (20) late in the day inflicted further pain on the tourists, whose decision to bowl first could come back to haunt them, Nasser Hussain style, circa 2002.
“It was a really good day,” Smith said.
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