"There is no substitute for running. "He will feel very confident after his last 100," Justin Langer remarked of the former Australian captain.
In the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, Steve Smith, the spearhead of the Australian batting lineup, scored 0, 17, and 2 in his opening three innings. Prior to the series, there had been serious concerns about his form. Some fans and experts, however, expressed optimism that his long-term return to No. 4 would be advantageous.
The former Australian captain scored his 33rd century in the longest format during the third Test in Brisbane, demonstrating his class. Smith's fluid half-century in the opening innings of Thursday, December 26's Boxing Day match between Australia and India has supported his outstanding performance. On Day 1, the right-handed batsman faced 111 deliveries at Stumps and was still undefeated at 68.
According to former Australia head coach Justin Langer, Smith's return to the middle-order has also been successful, and the century at The Gabba provided him a lot of confidence. According to Langer, Smith is in good form when he starts driving through the covers and plays the pull shot.
"Runs can never be replaced. He will feel very confident after his last hundred. Returning to his preferred position of number four has had a significant impact. I've also stated it a lot: champions are never written off. There's a reason they are champions. You can tell Steve Smith is in excellent form when he starts to play the pull shot in which he stretches his arms and starts to cover drive, as we witnessed today. India would have a difficult time if they don't get him out quickly," Langer told Star Sports.
The time Smith spent at the crease in Brisbane proved to be very beneficial for the 35-year-old, according to former India head coach Ravi Shastri. Shastri emphasised Smith's ability to capitalise on excellent form.
"His time at the crease during the previous game was significant. Those first 40 or 50 runs were a chore, but he persevered. The fluency was considerably improved today. His feet were moving nicely as he targeted the spinners. Players like Smith don't stop once they get the hang of it. Here, he is not sitting on a hundred. He doesn't hold back or waste good once he gets going, as we've seen him do in the past.
Smith and captain Pat Cummins were still undefeated as Australia ended the day at 311/6. In order to assist the hosts in establishing a strong first innings total, they will try to establish a significant partnership on Day 2.
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