WTC final 2023: India send Travis Head back as Steve Smith completes 31st long-format ton

Smith now is one century short of former captain Steve Smith in the list of Australian batters with most Test centuries. Former captain Rocky Ponting leads with 41 tons.

• Shubham
• 08 June, 2023

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By: Shubham Ghosh

Australia tightened their grip on the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) against India at The Oval on the second day morning on Thursday (8) as Steve Smith completed his hundred. India, however, tasted success in the seventh over of the day when Mohammed Siraj, who made the first strike on Day 1, picked Travis Head who made 163 off 174 balls. Cameron Green (6) also did not last long as he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami as Australia lost two wickets within 15 runs.

The Kangaroos, who are playing their first WTC final, resumed from their overnight score of 327 for 3 and raced past 350 with Smith, who was unbeaten on 95 at stumps on Day 1, reaching his 31st ton in the long format and 43rd overall. Along with Head, he added 285 runs for the fourth wicket to give his team a solid foundation to post a big total.

Australia received early setbacks on the first day after India’s pacers reduced them to 76 for 3 soon after lunch after Rohit Sharma won the toss and invited Pat Cummins’s side to bat first. While Siraj picked opener Usman Khawaja for no score, Shardul Thakur dismissed David Warner (43) and Shami sent Marnus Labuschagne (26) back.

Steve Smith’s good run at The Oval continues

Smith now is one century short of former captain Steve Smith in the list of Australian batters with most Test centuries. Former captain Rocky Ponting leads with 41 tons.

The former captain’s latest hundred was also his ninth against India, seeing him equalling England’s Joe Root in terms of most Test centuries against India.

It was also his seventh century and the knock saw Smith standing second only to Sir Donald Bradman (11) in terms of centuries scored by visiting batters in England.

The Oval has been one of Smith’s happy hunting grounds in England as he has belted three tons in six innings. Only Bradman has scored more three-figure knocks at a single venue in England — four at Headingley.