Another superb Test ton from the very reliable Steve Smith and a career best from the usually very unreliable Glenn Maxwell earned Australia control of the third Test against India at Ranchi on the opening day.
Having won the toss and batted, Smith’s 19th Test century was the ultimate display of concentration. The Australian skipper took 227 deliveries to become the third visiting captain to score two tons in the same seres in India after West Indian Clive Lloyd, who achieved the feat twice, and Englishman Alastair Cook.
Smith also became the third fastest to pass 5000 runs in 53 Tests after Sir Donald Bradman’s 36, and Sunil Gavaskar’s 52.
For the record Sir Jack Hobbs, Matt Hayden and Sir Leonard Hutton took 55, Sir Garfield Sobers 56, Wally Hammond, while Virender Sehwag, Younis Khan, and David Warner each took 59.
Smith’s unbroken 159 for the fifth wicket with Maxwell broke the previous record in India held by the 149 set by Michael Clarke and Matt Wade in 2013.
Maxwell was a revelation. He left his irritating cowboy antics in the shed and settled down to support his skipper with impressive self-control.
To prove the point, Maxwell’s first boundary took 56 deliveries – an unheard of stat.
In his previous three Tests, he had scored 13, 8, 10, 8, 37, and 4 for 80 runs at a miserable 13.33.
Yesterday, he passed his previous career runs facing 147 deliveries, doing himself and his country proud.
Hopefully the cowboy in him is now in the dust bin of history.
The pair resume today with Smith on 117 and Maxwell 82 at 4-299, and a target of around 450 surely in mind, which would realistically make Australia unbeatable on a dicey wicket.
Both Smith and Maxwell had to be very patient to get the job done.
The downside to yesterday was Shaun Marsh’s effort, begging the question of how many failures by the Western Australian before the selectors punt him?
He should never have been selected before Usman Khawaja for the first Test, and since then Marsh has scored 15, 0, 66 and been dropped at 14, 9, and two.
Khawaja must be selected for the fourth and final Test, providing he’s not bored to death and/or sobbing because he’s been watching instead of playing.
David Warner is another disappointment in this series, but his opening partnerships with Matt Renshaw have been spectacular.
Since they first teamed up against South Africa in Adelaide, the pair has posted six 50-plus opening stands in nine starts, with a top score of 151.
It’s early days, but so far they have accumulated 549 runs at 81. That is right up there with Australia’s best.
Bobby Simpson and Bill Lawry posted 3600 runs at 59.01, Matt Hayden and Justin Langer 6081 at 51.53, and Mark Taylor with Michael Slater and their 3887 at 51.14.
Later today, firebrand Pat Cummins will end his six-year-long wait to play his second Test after a spate of injuries.
He was the man of the match on debut aged 18, and today he will make up for lost time.
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
Though bringing khawaja in for marsh for 4th test may still qualify as "horses for courses" thing given the pacy nature of dharamsala wicket but imagine the feelings of marsh fans if he gets dropped after scoring one fifty, so that you could well imagine the agony that khawaja fans have been going through after he got dropped straightway after scoring 5 hundreds and 6 (high end) fifties in his last thirteen tests.
Larry
Guest
Still dropping Marsh Lordy!? Your shout!
Rahul
Guest
Love to see Khawaja back into the 4th test. No idea how selectors selected Marsh instead of him. Khawaja has great talent and he is one of the top 3 best batsmen in the team.
Dave
Guest
No idea what 'ace it up' means, but my comment stands. There's got to be a good reason they didn't pick Khawaja when he was the incumbent in a winning team, and it's the reason I stated. He has a hopeless average against spin, and if you look at the technique you can see why. It's called the flat track bully swing from the ass, no front shoulder or foot towards the ball, David Hookes style technique (if you remember John Bracewell making him look a fool in the early 80s). A competent player of spin doesn't get out to Duminy on a flat WACA wicket on 97. This selection is bit like what managers do in baseball - use their brains and replace a pitcher or batter when the matchup is unfavourable. But maybe Khawaja deserves a chance to test himself and improve against spin and go back to being a permanent fixture.
Stuckbetweenindopak
Roar Rookie
In that 66, caught behind early in the innings but kohli didn't review, dropped once, 3 or four half chances that fell short, plumb lbw to a no ball, given not out lbw, reviewed and stayed not out due to umpires call, and what not. He got that 66 on the back of 7 or 8 let offs.
Peebo
Guest
"from the usually very unreliable Glenn Maxwell" Just on 2000 ODI runs at 34, SR 125. Very *reliable* numbers from someone who bats at 5 / 6. And with a 125 strike rate, they are exceptional numbers. 800 odd T20I runs at 29, SR 167. Very *reliable* numbers from someone who bats at 4 / 5. And with a 167 strike rate, they are exceptional numbers. He also averages 40 in first class cricket. And he bowls a bit too. If Maxwell has shortcomings, it's not that he's "unreliable", it's that he's not seen as a genuine all rounder. If his bowling numbers were more compelling, he would been a fixture in our Test team long ago. But that's all sorted out now. He deserves a run of Tests at home after his magnificence in this match. Can't wait to watch him make you eat your words.
El Loco
Roar Rookie
Perry Bridge, I assume you haven't responded to David's post because it's hard to type even "WTF?" when you're in an absurdity-induced state of catatonia?
El Loco
Roar Rookie
A-flippin-men!
Mark
Guest
Yeah I kinda feel like anything short of 550+ is kinda par. I'll hold my judgement till the second innings; it's looking fairly evenly poised right now.
Mark
Guest
Enough with the Maxwell rebirth crap. He averages over 40 in the shield. He's had this in him for a while now, don't blame him for the ridiculous monikers. Yes he's been frustrating at times but he hasn't discovered the secret batting sauce overnight, he batted well because he knows he can when he applies himself given the chance; which he finally was.
chump
Guest
Seems to me like Maxwell and Smith are the only ones to make 100 this test?
Ross
Guest
I am confident Khawaja will get picked for the fourth test
Ron
Guest
We are the only nation who drops a world class number 3 after he averages 70+ in the summer and for who, Shaun marsh
davSA
Guest
Control of the Test David ? Its a little premature for that statement . Good position yes , good solid start yes . Control no . The prior England India series should tell you that a 450 odd score first up may be insufficient.
David Lord
Expert
Ace it up Dave, both Khawaja and Marsh are top order Test batsmen and played enough long innings to face both pace and spin. Khawaja's batted 40 times for five centuries, and eight 50-pluses. Marsh 38 digs for four centuries, and six 50-pluses. Khawaja was the incumbent when the Australians reached India and should have been first picked over Marsh. Don't forget, the Australians had won four Tests on the trot in the lead-up to India. When a team ain't broke, don't fix it.
Dave
Guest
Why Marsh ahead of Khawaja? The reason is pretty obvious. He's been bad against ispin everywhere. Even Australia- got out twice against Sth Africa to straight balls, from Duminy and Maharaj, once when on 97, when he should have gone on with it. I'd guess his average against spin is less than 20. Has poor defence, doesn't come forward and just wafts the bat towards the ball. Gets away with it in Australia. Only averages 30 outside Australia. Marsh is a reasonable player of spin, scored a century in SL and averages around 40 overall.
David Lord
Expert
PB, I hasten to remind you Steve Smith started his Test career batting 8, 9, 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6, 7, and 7. Today he's the world number one ranked batsman, right at home batting anywhere. Any comparison between Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell applies only to currently being in the same side, and right-handed. Period.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Knowing Virat and his work ethic and will to win, if India needs him to bat, he will bat, unless he cant move his shoulder at all. But I suspect the effort will be on to give him the rest he needs.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Yes Jason and thats exactly what I have said on multiple threads on Roar before the match started that Smith has no clue about the pitch which is why he made those comments that caused some anxiety, but given the soil and my experience with pitches in that exact part of the country, low and slow and no great turn were my exact calls.
Disco Stu
Roar Rookie
Please stop your inconsistent use of statistics. When listing the scores for Shaun Marsh you had to discredit his 66 with a (dropped on 14), but when you say Steve Smith was the third visiting captain to score two centuries on an Indian tour you didn't feel the need to mention all the times he was dropped in Pune. For the record I agree with you on Khawaja, but for god's sake write an unbiased article for once. If getting dropped early in an innings means it wasn't a good innings, then apply that rule to everyone.