Race for best Test batsman continues – Earlier it was Kane Williamson on ton hitting spree, and now Steve Smith of Australia has joined the race. Smith roared back to form and hit his 27th Test hundred en route his 226-ball 131 in the third Test against India at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday. With the hundred, Smith equalled India captain Virat Kohli’s Test hundred tally of as many hundreds. He also surpassed the overall Test run tally of Kohli.
After the end of the innings Smith answered back to his critics and said that there was a difference between out-of-form and out-of-run. He added that he was hopeful that this innings would keep “a few people quiet”.
“I am reading lots of things people say about out of form, but think there is a difference between out of form and out of run. So it was nice to score a few and maybe keep a few people quiet,” Steve Smith said.
Race for Best Test Batsman: Williamson still leading, Smith & Kohli on No.2, No. 3
Kane Williamson is currently leading the charts in ICC Test Batting Rankings. Williamson recently completed his 24th Test ton against Pakistan. Notably, it was New Zealand captain’s third triple-digit score in three Test matches.
It is worth noting, as per the latest ICC rankings that were released last week, Williamson dethroned Kohli and Smith as the No.1 ranked Test batsman and now he is just solidifying his position at the top and making it difficult for Kohli and Smith to catch up with him.
Notably, Williamson has enjoyed phenomenal success in the last couple of months. Other than two back-to-back centuries in the ongoing Test series against Pakistan, the New Zealand skipper was outstanding in the recently concluded series against West Indies, in which Williamson hit a brilliant 251 – his highest individual score in Tests.
Virat Kohli – No Century in 2020: Team India skipper Virat Kohli has not scored a single century in any format in 2020 and had endured a miserable tour of New Zealand, managing just an average of nine,
Steve Smith – First Hundred since Sep 2019: Smith averaged just around 19 in the 3 Tests he played in 2020 and his last hundred had come in September 2019 vs England. But with this ton the 31-year-old is back in fray.
To put things into perspective – where they stand overall ?
- Overall Smith is on top as he averages 62 – having scored 7368 runs in 76 Tests with 27 Test Centuries
- While Kohli is now 2nd having scored 7318 runs in 87 Tests at an average of 53.41. Kohli also has 27 tons to his credit
- Williamson is 3rd with an average of 53.75- 6988 runs in 83 Tests and 24 tons.