Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, in an interview with Nasser Hussain for the Daily Mail, commended Smith’s exceptional batting skills and ranked him as the second-greatest batsman in Australian cricket history, just behind the legendary Don Bradman. Ponting also praised Smith’s rapid rise to success, noting that he became the second-fastest player to reach 9,000 Test runs.
Steve Smith is about to achieve a significant milestone as he prepares to play his 100th Test match. This landmark appearance will take place during the upcoming clash between Australia and England in the third Ashes Test, which is scheduled for July 6-10 in Leeds. Smith will join a prestigious group of only 14 Australian players who have reached the century mark in Test cricket.
“If it all ended tomorrow, he’d be the second-greatest batsman Australia have produced after Don Bradman. Statistically, you cannot argue with that. He’s achieving things so quickly. Even at Lord’s, he became the second-fastest in history to reach 9,000 Test runs,” said Ponting.
Throughout his illustrious career spanning 99 Tests, Smith has consistently demonstrated exceptional batting skills. He has scored an impressive total of 9,113 runs at an average of 59.56 and a strike rate of 53.78.
Smith’s record includes an astonishing 32 centuries, four double hundreds, and 37 half-centuries. Notably, his highest individual score in Test matches is 239, which he achieved against England during the 2017-18 Ashes series.
In the previous Ashes Test, which Australia won by 43 runs, Smith showcased his incredible abilities by scoring a remarkable century. His innings of 110 runs off 184 deliveries in the first innings earned him his 32nd Test hundred, accompanied by seven boundaries. Smith was honored as the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.
As Smith prepares for his 100th Test, he expressed his desire to achieve an Ashes series victory in England, a long-standing ambition on his bucket list. With this milestone match marking his 100th appearance, Smith hopes to contribute to a series-clinching triumph and make it an extraordinary moment.