Fri Dec 27 05:32:59 UTC 2024: ## Smith Surpasses Legends, Achieves Record 11th Test Century Against India
**Melbourne, Australia** – Steve Smith cemented his status as one of Test cricket’s all-time greats with a magnificent century in the first innings of the Melbourne Test against India. This was Smith’s 34th Test century, surpassing the likes of Kane Williamson, Alistair Cook, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara, Younis Khan, and Mahela Jayawardene – achieving the milestone in fewer matches than any of them.
The Melbourne pitch, considered one of the easiest in the series so far, proved no obstacle for Smith. He comfortably settled in, scoring a half-century on the first day and completing his century on the second with relative ease, despite facing some brief challenges from bowlers Bumrah and Akashdeep.
This century holds extra significance as it’s Smith’s 11th against India, making him the highest scorer of Test centuries against India, surpassing Joe Root’s 10. Remarkably, Smith achieved these 11 centuries in just 43 innings. His dominance is even more pronounced at home, where he has scored seven centuries in ten innings against India in the first innings of red-ball Tests. Smith’s consistent performance underscores his exceptional skill and makes him a formidable opponent for India.
First Piper 