In the third match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia’s middle-order batsmen dominated. First, Travis Head scored a blistering century against India, followed by a record-breaking hundred from star batter Steve Smith. Smith, who had struggled in the first two matches of the series, finally found his form. In his last 10 innings, he had averaged just 17.9 with only one half-century. However, at Gabba, his bat roared to life, fulfilling a prediction made by Australian captain Pat Cummins before the match.
Cummins’ Prediction About Smith Comes True
The third match of the five-match series between India and Australia is being played at Brisbane’s iconic Gabba stadium. Ahead of the game, Australian captain Pat Cummins expressed confidence in Steve Smith’s return to form. During a press conference, Cummins said, “If you look at his record, the stats show that runs aren’t far away.” He also praised Smith’s efforts in the nets, which hinted at an impending comeback.
First Test Century in 535 Days
Smith scored a remarkable 101 off 190 balls, including 12 boundaries. This was his 33rd Test century overall and 10th against India in this format. Interestingly, it ended a 535-day drought for Smith in Test cricket. His previous hundred came in June 2023 against England in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
Smith’s Poor Run in Perth and Adelaide
The first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy was held in Perth, where Australia suffered a 295-run defeat. Smith failed in that game, scoring a golden duck in the first innings, trapped LBW by Jasprit Bumrah. In the second innings, he managed just 17 runs. The second match, a pink-ball Test in Adelaide, saw Australia win by 10 wickets, but Smith’s bat remained silent. He scored only 11 runs in the first innings, once again falling to Bumrah.
At Gabba, however, Steve Smith silenced his critics and played a vital role in Australia’s resurgence, as predicted by his captain.