Ashes 2017/18: Steven Smith Scores 21st Test Century, Surpasses Sachin Tendulkar’s Record - JPKee.com

New Delhi: Australian captain Steven Smith on Saturday (November 25) joined the elite club of hitting the fastest 21 Test centuries. Smith, who took 105 innings to reach the feat, surpassed legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who achieved the same in 110 innings.

Only two other cricketers-Australia’s Don Bradman (56 innings) and India’s Sunil Gavaskar (98 innings)-have had reached 21 centuries in less than 100 innings. The 28-year-old, however, scored the slowest hundred for Australia in the Ashes since David Boon’s century in 1993 at Lord’s. Boon had faced 284 deliveries to reach a hundred. 

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With a strike rate of 43.25, this was also Smith’s slowest ton in his international career.

Interestingly, Indian skipper Virat Kohli had only scored 15 centuries after playing 57 Tests. Kohli now has 18 Test centuries to his name after playing 61 matches.

Smith, who faced 326 balls for his knock of unbeaten 141, batted for over 500 minutes to help his team fight back and take a vital lead of 26 runs after an early collapse in Gabba. He faced 261 deliveries to reach a triple-figure mark.

At stumps of Day Three, England have a second innings lead of seven runs. The visitors, however, lost two early wickets of Alastair Cook (seven) and James Vince (two). Josh Hazlewood picked up both the wickets.

(With ANI inputs)

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Author - Vikash Kumar