tags: India’s tour of Australia 2024-25,
Australia v India, 4th Test in Melbourne, 26-30. December 2024,
India,
Australia,
Steven Peter Devereux Smith
Published: December 27, 2024
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In the annals of cricketing rivalry, there are few players who have consistently tormented Indian bowlers like Steven Smith. As India hunt Australia’s last wicket on the second day of the fourth Test in Melbourne, Smith’s mastery against the Men in Blue demands a closer look.
The numbers tell the story
Smith’s stats against India are outstanding. No other team has borne the brunt of his consistency and prolific scoring like India. Over the course of 43 innings, Smith amassed 2,306 runs at an average of 62.32, the most he can boast against any Test playing nation with significant performances. Although he has a surreal average of 124.57 against the West Indies, it comes from just 15 innings. In relation to India, Smith’s oeuvre is extensive and consistently influential.
An inexorable shape
Indian bowlers rarely found respite against Smith. His longest drought against India between centuries spanned ten innings from January 2021 to mid-2023. Even in that span, Smith managed two half-centuries and multiple promising starts. His ability to negotiate India’s formidable attack, featuring Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, has been a hallmark of his batting.
Milestone morning
The second day in Melbourne belonged to Smith and Australia. Continuation on the fold, Smith reached his 34th Test century in signature style, Nitish Kumar’s perfectly timed cover smash. True to form, Smith did not rest on his laurels after the century, attacking the Indian bowlers, including daring over-the-shoulder sixes against Bumrah and Siraj.
By lunch, Smith’s dominance had put Australia in a commanding position. His 112-run stand with Pat Cummins, which produced 100 runs in just 90 minutes, laid the foundation for an impressive total.
A unique dismissal ends a classic innings
Smith’s remarkable innings ended in a manner befitting his enigmatic style. Advancing down the pitch to Akash Deep, he tried to splash down the ground but only managed an inside edge to the back foot. The ball, which spun and dribbled like a broken leg from a small child, moved the guarantees. Smith could only watch in horror from ten feet down the track. Officially recorded as a toss, the dismissal was more of a comic self-avoidance, marking a rare blemish on an otherwise magnificent performance.
India’s bowling woes
While Bumrah continued to pester Smith and company, Mohammed Siraj endured the hot morning. Conceding 46 runs in six overs, Siraj failed to get the same help from the field as his teammates. Smith capitalized on short balls with disdain and raced down the lane to punish sharp passes. Rohit Sharma’s decision to move to the middle to lead Siraj highlighted the problems of India’s second pacer.
The battle continues
Smith’s innings may be over, but his impact remains. Riding on his brilliance, Australia seem poised to dictate terms in this crucial Test. For India, the task ahead is daunting but not insurmountable. Cricket fans, meanwhile, can only marvel at the spectacle of one of the game’s greatest players succeeding against one of its best bowling line-ups.
Smith’s ability to dominate, adapt and entertain continues to elevate him into the pantheon of Test cricket legends. For India, hope remains that they will soon discover the secret to neutralizing the enigma that is Steven Smith.
