On the first day of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21, he helped Australia reach a solid position of 104-3 at the lunch break despite rain interruptions. Australia’s rain easily impacted the flow of the game but Smith’s composed batting in the challenging conditions was a highlight of the first session. The Australian batting combination, although the rain did intervene, but this helped the Australians rethink their plans on how to take control of the match that was vital for both teams to win at this stage.
Weather influenced Australia on their start After Blades Shone.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. The Gabba pitch is known to have a tendency of favouring fast bowlers as well as spinners and therefore it is very crucial for the top order to get set as soon as possible. However, the Metweather had other ideas that day. The first session was again plagued with rain interruptions which forced the game to be time out for almost one hour. The rain-soaked outfield and the hot weather conditions were certainly going to make it difficult for the bowlers who were going to have to adjust the lines and lengths, due to the moisture present in the air as well as on the ground.
Also, off these interruptions though,, Australia started its innings well with consistent performance.
David Warner and Usman Khawaja were accepted as openers for the home side, and at least the initial signs were promising. Both batters, however struggled against Indian bowlers which were vigorous. The conditions were tough, but both Warner and Khawaja were diligent and ready to bat, and the new ball had some swing in it. They avoided putting themselves in precarious situations and were very careful in predicting future scoring opportunities, thus avoiding early hurdles even though it didn’t come without risk.
But, Khawaja had reached only 17 before his wicket was taken and Steve Smith had to take center. The wicket of Khawaja added in an interval of little shift of balance between the two sides and particularly to the Australian batting since they had already lost a wicket in what could have been a crucial partnership. Leading the attack, Mohammed Siraj and Shami in turn helped maintain the discipline for the Indian bowlers and this made it difficult for the Australians to get the acceleration they were looking for. Smith though did not waste too much time getting to know whether his technique and the circumstances were at the Doha pitch to play.
Smith was the reason they stood a chance against the rest.
The first thing Smith did on reaching the crease was scoring the first two runs after taking some time to assess the batting situation. It was no surprise to see him employ a mix of tough defences of the bat and some strong attacking shots after catching the tempo of the game. From the onset, Smith’s favourite shot, a pivot and then swinging his torso to find the intended openings, was evident.
In spite of what the Indian bowlers did to the pitch, the Australian cricketer maintained his form and composure, revealing efficient footwork and solid defense. He showed class and staying power around the striking moment of his innings, when he helped score progressively better partnerships as the match progressed further. This loss was not the only one the Australians had, as they were able to ensure two losses throughout this period. Warner began this shift, Smith and Warner collectively managed to stabilize the innings, pushing the runs toward a comfortable milestone of fifty without any loss.
Siraj’s position as an Indian bowler was one that had many expectations, but unfortunately he could not live up to those expectations. After Shane Warne, it was thought that Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the best off-spin bowler the team had, but one could tell that Shane’s inclusion in this team was only to destroy the vulture’s trait of this pair. Smith came over with some faith and this pull was almost Lee like as he was deliberately stacking singles in order to build a better tactical plan. Crossing over such obstacles was easy for this pair, and it is an understatement when placing this at challenging tasks for both teams.
It appeared that Australia was in charge of the contest, but David Warner was stumped and went out to the cricketer at gully after bringing in 34 runs out of a shot ball supplied by smith.
When Warner fell, Marnus Labuschagne arrived at the wicket, so easing the burden on Smith as Australia were supposed to stay in the contest. Still Smith was calm and proceeded on restoring the hope of Australia’s success.
India’s Resurgence And Smith’s Tenacity
During the entire session, India was excellent in using pace and Ashwin. Shami and Siraj were aggressive forcing the Australians to be defensive. Labuschagne had some troubled times in the middle but seemed to survive as Smith looked calm and composed. As the players went for Lunch, the score stood at 104 for the fall of 3 wickets with Smith batting on 46* and Labuschagne 10 *.
Despite interruptions, Smith’s attentiveness and concentration hardly ever wavered. What stands out is that he is known to cope well with pressure and to handle changing situations. About Australia’s leading batsman in this series, Smith said that his performance provided the much-needed stability for his side in this crucial Test Match. He and Labuschagne’s partnership was important for Australia to avoid the loss of any further important wickets before lunch as it would have given India the right opportunities to dominate the match.
India’s Performance And Significant Events
Though periods of domination did exist, the most critical factor for India was the failure to capitalize on critical opportunities and so be able to get the all-important breakthrough to swing the momentum in their favor.
He looked the most threatening of getting a wicket but Ashwin too was able to achieve some breakthroughs, nonetheless, it was apparent that Australia knew how to handle high-pressure scenarios. The out was Warner and with it everything changed but the doggedness of Smith and general blueprint from Labuschagne meant India could not apply pressure for long periods.
Expectations Immediately After Lunch
When play resumed after lunch, for both teams the main question was India able to break the crucial stand between Smith and Labuschagne. Australia had to hope that there were no further wickets through Smith pulling the side through to past the 150 mark. Labuschagne would play a supportive role in this case as he would help lay a strong platform for the middle order to follow up on.
For India, the most important thing would be to come up with a plan for getting rid off Smith as soon as possible. Once he is out of the match, it will be a huge boost for India and they would be able to take control of the match from thereon. However, like it or not, if Smith gets set it will be very easy for Australia to turn the contest around, particularly in the later parts of the game as India will have a much better wicket for spin.
Final Notes
As at lunch Australia sits at 104-3, the competition is still very much in a deadlock.
Steve Smith’s grit has been the cornerstone of Australia’s stability along with his match strategy which proclaims that he is one of the leading batsman in the world. Australia seeks to maximize the chance and make a big first innings score. Thus India need to consolidate and change their approach. The battle between Smith and the Indian bowlers promises to be one of the highlights of this Test match, and the second session served will decide the course of the game.
If you are interested for more: Smith’s prowess propels Australia to 104-3 in the third Test over India. Baroda versus Mumbai Live Score: The inaugural Semi-Final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2024, is scheduled to commence at 11:00 AM.