Playing his first Test cricket in 16 months, Steve Smith resumed normalcy. He smashed his 24th and 25thTest century en route to his astounding score of 144 and 142 against England on the opening day of Ashes 2019. Meanwhile, the coach Justin Langer showers words of praise on Steve Smith for his stunning knock and compares to Virat Kohli.
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On a fairly greenish Birmingham track on Thursday morning, Australia failed to counter the fullish and seaming deliveries from the English pace attack. They slipped to 122 for eight before Smith valiantly pulled things back on track with his stunning innings. Once again, in the second innings, he displayed a similar character by playing a match-winning knock.
Australia coach Justin Langer on Tuesday hailed Steve Smith for the way he batted throughout the first Test against England at Edgbaston which eventually set up a 251-run victory for the visitors in the Ashes opener on Monday.
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Steve Smith got an enormous character – Justin Langer
Justin Langer went on to compare the former Australia skipper with Virat Kohli. He stated that the Indian captain is “the best” but with his current form Steve Smith seems to be on “another level”. Steve Smith scored 144 and 142 to help Australia beat England.
“I said during the summer that Virat Kohli is the best player I have ever seen. But that (Steve Smith knocks) is just another level,” the coach said. You have in different teams, different eras, great players but for someone like Smudge (Smith), who is averaging over 60 and the way he played in this innings with all the pressure and everything that is on him.”
”It was not only great skill but enormous character, enormous courage, very brave, unbelievable concentration. And also, unbelievable physical stamina, unbelievable mental stamina, all traits of great players,” he added.
After starting the Test in fourth place and with 857 points, the formerly top-ranked batsman Steve Smith is back above the 900-point mark along with Kohli (922) and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (913).