Ashes 2023 | He has set high standard: Aussie captain Pat Cummins lauds Steve Smith for 100th Test milestone

On Thursday (July 06), Steve Smith became the 15th Australian and 75th player overall to enter the 100-Test club during Day 1 of the third Ashes Test, at Leeds, Headingley. Smith, who started as a leg-spinner, is one of the legends of the modern-day game who has redefined his career as one of the greatest batters — especially in the purest format of the game. He has over 9,000 runs (9,113) in whites at an average of nearly 60 with 32 hundreds. 

Smith has been Australia’s go-to-batter over the years and played an integral role in their success in the longest format. With him achieving the 100-Test milestone, Australian captain Pat Cummins lauded Smith during the coin toss of the third Ashes Test in Headingley. “For Smith, his 100th game. Huge, the standard he’s set, averaging almost 60 is incredible,” Cummins said after Ben Stokes-led England opted to bowl first in the third Test.

Smith has been in good form in the ongoing English summer. He made a brisk 121 versus India in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) — where Cummins & Co. won by 209 runs — and while he struggled in the Ashes 2023 opener, he returned with 110 and 34 in the second Test at Lord’s. As Australia have a 2-0 lead and is on the verge of winning their first away Ashes since 2001, Smith will be desperate to score a daddy hundred in the ongoing third Test and help his side retain the urn with an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. 

After being asked to bat first, Australia had a tough start in the third Test. While David Warner departed for 4, Usman Khawaja’s stumps were rattled by Mark Wood who also dismissed Marnus Labuschagne. Australia is now dependent on Smith to keep the scoreboard moving and take his side out of troubled waters.

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