Australia's veteran Steve Smith added another feather on his cap during the second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle International stadium on February 7. The batting maestro notched his 36th Test century to join the elite list of batters. Steve Smith, captaining the team in Pat Cummins' absence, continued his strong form and reached the century mark on Day 2 by hitting a boundary off Kamindu Mendis.
This effortless century helped Smith equal England's Joe Root and Indian legendary batter Rahul Dravid's tally of Test centuries. Notably both Joe Root and Rahul Dravid have 36 Test centuries against their names. Smith now shares the fifth spot on the list of batsmen with the most Test centuries in history.
Steve Smith came to the crease with Australia in a precarious position at 37/2, following the quick dismissals of Travis Head (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (4). Facing immense pressure, Smith narrowly survived an lbw appeal on his very first ball. A review by Sri Lanka, however, revealed that the ball was going on to miss the stumps.
It took Smith six deliveries to get off the mark. He kickstarted his innings with a boundary against Prabath Jayasuriya, using his feet to whip the ball towards mid-wicket. He then added a couple more boundaries with elegant cover drives and went into the lunch break with a score of 23*. Smith and Usman Khawaja built a crucial 54-run partnership for the third wicket. However, just as the second session began, Khawaja was dismissed for 36 by Nishan Peiris.
After Khawaja's dismissal, Steve Smith remained a steady presence at the crease and was joined by Alex Carey. Together, they formed a substantial century partnership, frustrating the Sri Lankan bowlers and propelling Australia into a commanding position. Smith reached his half-century with a stylish sweep shot off 98 balls, setting the stage for a larger innings.
Once he passed fifty, Smith appeared completely comfortable, even enjoying a bit of luck as a few edges fell short of the slips and the ball narrowly missed his stumps. However, these close calls didn't deter the Australian captain. He continued his strong performance and went on to score his second consecutive century of the series, following his impressive 141-run innings in the first Test. Smith was unscathed on 120 runs off 239 balls riding on 9 fours and a six to steer Australia to 330/3.