Steve Smith has joined cricket legend Don Bradman in an exclusive group of batters with 10 or more scores of 50+ in Tests at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
According to a report by India Today, Steve Smith achieved this milestone during the Boxing Day Test against India, led by Rohit Sharma. On Day 1, the 35-year-old Smith joined Bradman, Greg Chappell, and Ricky Ponting in this distinguished list.
Chappell leads with 13 fifty-plus scores from 17 Tests, while Bradman and Ponting follow with 12 and 11, respectively. Smith reached his half-century off 71 balls in the post-tea session on Day 1 of the Melbourne Test.
Top MCG 50+ scores:
- Greg Chappell – 13 from 17 Tests
- Don Bradman – 12 from 11 Tests
- Ricky Ponting – 11 from 15 Tests
- Steve Smith – 10 from 12 Tests
Smith nearing 9000 Test runs
Smith is approaching the landmark of 9000 runs in Test cricket, a milestone only three other Australians—Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh—have reached. Though Smith struggled in the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth and Adelaide, he regained form with a brilliant century in the third Test at The Gabba, Brisbane.
In his first innings, he scored 101 runs off 190 balls, including 12 fours, before being dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah. Smith also shared a 241-run partnership with Travis Head for the fourth wicket. Australia is aiming to win the ongoing Test series, having lost the previous two series to India in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
