Steve Smith continued his sublime form with a second consecutive century against India in the second One-Day International at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Having scored a match-winning 105 in the first ODI of the three-match series, Smith took apart the Indian bowling attack once again in a masterful 104 off 64, with 14 fours and two sixes.
(Australia vs India, 2nd ODI blog)
Smith’s century came off 62 balls, exactly the same number as in the first ODI: the third fastest by an Australian in this format.
The 31-year-old right-hander was severe on pace as well as spin, with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja and Yuzvendra Chahal struggling to find the right line and length.
Smith showed his full array of strokes and found boundaries at will as Australia laid the foundation for another massive total batting first. The innings finished with Australia bettering their effort in the first ODI, posting 389/4.
Hardik Pandya, bowling for the first time in more than a year, dismissed Smith.
Here are some Twitter reactions to Smith’s masterclass:
What a player, @stevesmith49 has some appetite 💯 #AUSvIND
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) November 29, 2020
We use the word "masterclass" far too often but this from Smith was just that. Such skill.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 29, 2020
Centuries in consecutive ODI innings coming in less than 70 balls:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 29, 2020
Jonny Bairstow (58 vs NZ & 54 vs SCO) in 2018
STEVE SMITH (62 vs IND & 62 vs IND) in 2020#AUSvIND
Steven Peter Devereux Smith. That is all.#OhWhatAFeeling | @Toyota_Aus | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/46uCsCTPC8
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 29, 2020
Smith is unbelievable....Talk about going through the gears ⚙️ 🔥 #AUSvsIND
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) November 29, 2020
Doubt there's anyone in this day n age who plays the field better than Steve Smith #AUSvsIND
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) November 29, 2020
London Underground -
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) November 29, 2020
MINNNNND THE GAP
Steve Smith Express -
FINNNNND THE GAP#AUSvsIND 🙌
7227 runs at 63, 26 100s. Smith is the best test batsman of the decade by a mile.
— Srini Mama (@SriniMaama16) November 29, 2020
4267 runs at 43, SR: 88. In ODIs, he has been GOOD, not great.
With the way he's been batting, Smith's making a strong statement. He wants to be an ODI GREAT!
Back to back 62-ball 💯! #Legend 🔥
Steve Smith’s brilliance is beginning to get boring now. #AUSvIND
— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) November 29, 2020
Three boundaries behind square, all in different directions in the same over!
— Emmad Hameed (@Emmad81) November 29, 2020
Absolute FREAK Steve Smith 🔥🔥🔥
Looks like a placid track,tough for the bowlers as it is but with Steve Smith in this kind of zone not much the bowlers can do! #AUSvIND
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith last 5 ODIs vs India:
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) November 29, 2020
69, 98, 131, 105, 100*
smith is really vulnerable between 100-110, glaring weakness #AUSvsIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) November 29, 2020
62 ball hundred in first ODI.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 29, 2020
62 ball hundred in second ODI.
100* from 62 balls including 13 fours and 2 sixes - He is taking down India - 5th hundred in 17 innings against India in ODI format. Steve Smith at it's best. pic.twitter.com/VqLxpwmOUK
Steve Smith. You freak of nature.
— Clive (@_vanillawallah) November 29, 2020
#AusvInd pic.twitter.com/Z3cRfT75hi
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) November 29, 2020
Deja vu from Smith. Another 62-ball ton. Today's was even better. #AUSvIND
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) November 29, 2020
Batted, me. #AUSvIND
— Steve Smith (@stevesmithffx) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith becomes Sachin Tendulkar against India. If Sachin had got the chance to play Indian bowlers, he'd have been Bradman
— The Bad Doctor (@DOCTORATLARGE) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith 🤯🤯 #AUSvIND
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) November 29, 2020
Steven Smith:
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) November 29, 2020
1st ODI - 62-ball century
2nd ODI - 62-ball century#AUSvsIND
Wow. I know we've seen Smith's brilliance in ODI's before. I know he's come in after good starts. I know India haven't bowled their best... but are we seeing another evolution of his batting? #AUSvIND
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith is a Legend!!!!
— Ian bishop (@irbishi) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith's last five ODI scores v India:
— ICC (@ICC) November 29, 2020
69, 98, 131, 105, 104 (today) 🔥
What a player! pic.twitter.com/MmzcSZGMRo
Another class 100 @stevesmith49 class 👏👏
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith has now scored 209 runs in this series at a strike rate of 162.01.
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) November 29, 2020
The only player in history to score more runs at a faster rate in an ODI series against India, was Shaheed Afridi in 2005. He scored 211 runs at a strike rate of 172.95.#AUSvIND
Smith’s going ton-ton-a-ton this series
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) November 29, 2020
Three consecutive ODI 100s vs India
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) November 29, 2020
Zaheer Abbas in 1982-83
Nasir Jamshed in 2012-13
Quinton de Kock in 2013
Steve Smith in 2020
Smith's last four scores vs Ind: 98,131,105 & 100*#AUSvsIND
BACK-TO-BACK (TO BACK) 💯🔥
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 29, 2020
104 of the finest runs by @stevesmith49, with his third straight ODI hundred vs India. Well played, skip! 👏#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/jcSjLw2wQM
Steve ‘Unstoppable’ Smith.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 29, 2020
Quite literally.
Fifth consecutive 50 against India in ODI. 😱 #AusvInd
Back-to-back hundreds... Steve Smith in ominous form for a long home summer. Making a statement with the way he has batted. Toyed with the bowling.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) November 29, 2020
Almost feels like he took India’s success last tour when he was suspended a bit personally and has a point to prove?! #AusvInd
Back-to-back ODI hundreds is good and all but the big question is if Steve Smith can truly stand up to the rigors of Test cricket 🧐
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) November 29, 2020
Steve Smith is arguably the Best foreign player of spin in current world cricket, what do you guys think ? #AUSvsIND #cricitwithbadri
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) November 29, 2020
Australia won the toss and chose to bat in the second ODI against India at a hot, blustery SCG on Sunday.
Australia’s Marcus Stoinis picked up a side strain while bowling in Friday’s win and has been replaced by another all-rounder, Moises Henriques.
“Stoinis is out, a little bit of niggle. It’s the overs he (Henriques) can give us,” Australia skipper Aaron Finch said. “The wicket can get slower as the game goes on.”
India will be unchanged from the side that lost the first match of the three-game series on Friday and will again be fielding in the extreme heat of the day session.
“We were a bit rusty in the first game, no excuses,” India captain Virat Kohli said of the loss. “After the 30-over mark, the bodies started to stiffen up. The second half was very encouraging. We can take a lot of positives from that. We are playing the same 11.”
Australia, fuelled by centuries from Finch and Steve Smith, crushed India by 66 runs on Friday.
An Australian victory will not only clinch a series win but also the top spot in the World Cup Super League.
India have lost their last four ODIs and are bidding to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat for the first time since January 2016.
(With inputs from AFP)