WTC Final, Steve Smith completes 2,000 runs versus India: Stats
Steve Smith mustered a spectacular hundred in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship final against India. During the course of his knock, the veteran batter also brought up 2,000 Test runs against the Indian team. He became only the third Australian and eighth player overall to get the massive feat. Here we decode his stellar stats against India in Tests.
A calculated knock from Smith
Smith arrived in the middle after Australia lost both openers in the opening session (71/2). He joined forces with Travis Head, who turned out to be the aggressor between the two and scored a ton on the opening day. Smith took his time and tired out the bowlers throughout the day. The veteran batter ended up scoring 121 off 268 balls (19 fours).
2,000 runs against India for Smith
Smith touched the 2,000-run mark against India with his 113th run in the WTC final. Ricky Ponting (2,555) and Michael Clarke (2,049) are the only other Aussies with 2,000-plus runs against India. Smith has now raced to 2,008 runs against them in 19 Tests at 66.93. No other Aussie, with at least 1,300 Test runs against India, has a higher average.
Joint-most tons against India
Meanwhile, this was Smith's ninth Test ton against the Indian team. Only Former England skipper Joe Root has smothered as many tons against India. England are the only team against which Smith has scored more Test centuries (11). Meanwhile, the Australian run machine has also scored five Test fifties against India. 192 reads his highest score against the opposition.
Smith overtakes legend Hayden
Smith's tally of 31 tons is now the third-most for Australia in Tests. Matthew Hayden finished his career with 30 Test centuries. Only Ponting (45) and Steve Waugh (32) are now ahead of the former in this regard. Notably, no other active player owns more Test tons than Smith. Root follows Smith on this list, having slammed 29 Test centuries.
Seventh Test ton in England
This was Smith's seventh Test ton on England soil in 17 Tests. While he equaled Waugh in this regard, only Sir Donald Bradman (11) has more Test centuries in England among visiting batters. Smith has raced past 1,848 Test runs in the nation at 61.6. He has also smothered seven Test fifties in the UK. 215 reads his highest score in England.
500-plus runs at the Oval
Meanwhile, Smith has also raced to 512 Test runs at the Kennington Oval in four Tests. This was his third hundred at the venue as the tally also includes a half-century. Bradman (553) is the only other visiting batter with 500-plus Test runs here.
Smith goes past 8,900 Test runs
Speaking of his overall numbers, Smith now owns 8,913 runs in 97 Tests at a sensational average of 60.22. Among batters with at least 5,000 Test runs, only Bradman (99.94) owns a better average. Meanwhile, Smith has also struck 37 Test fifties. At home, the 33-year-old has smashed 4,387 runs in 48 Tests at 64.51 (100s: 16, 50s: 17).
