After 536 days Smith's 33rd Test Century Against India in Brisbane, Australia's Run Mountain

Smith's 33rd Test Century Against India in Brisbane, Australia's Run Mountain

One of the "Fab Four" of world cricket, Steven Smith, has finally reached a century. On the second day of the Brisbane Test against India, he scored his 33rd Test century. Smith had not been able to score a three-figure mark for the past 18 months. After 536 days, this star batter finally achieved his century. His and Travis Head's partnership helped Australia surpass 400 runs in the first innings.

After losing 3 wickets for 75 runs, Smith and Head steadied the Australian innings. The duo shared a brilliant 241-run partnership off 302 balls for the fourth wicket. Head, aged 30, reached his 9th career century with 13 boundaries off 115 balls. Smith followed suit, scoring his 33rd Test century with 12 boundaries off 185 balls. However, he was dismissed for 101 runs by Jasprit Bumrah.

Smith's last century came in the second Test of the 2023 Ashes at Lord's, where he scored 110 runs. Since then, he had gone 24 innings without reaching three figures. During this period, he had only managed four half-centuries, with his closest effort being a 91* against the West Indies in Brisbane last January, where he had to stand alone due to the absence of a partner. Australia lost that match. Finally, Smith broke his century drought.

On the same day in Brisbane, Travis Head was dismissed for 152 runs off 160 balls, hitting 18 boundaries. Bumrah also dismissed this explosive batter. The Indian pacer took 5 wickets in 25 overs, marking his 12th career five-wicket haul. By the end of the day, Australia had scored 405 runs for 7 wickets after 101 overs. India now faces a tough challenge.