Amazing Smith is Australia's new milestone man!

Australia captain Steven Smith's domination reached new heights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, states Rajneesh Gupta

Australia captain Steven Smith’s incredible year with bat continued. He scored a career-best 192 (305 balls, 17 fours and two sixes) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, his third hundred of the series on Saturday. Smith helped his side set an imposing target of 530 on day two of the third Test against India.

There were apprehensions about the impact of captaincy burden on Smith’s batting when he took the charge from Michael Clarke but Smith has put all such concerns to rest with his mind-blowing batting display.

In the process the 25-year-old became the first Australian captain to score centuries in each of his first two Tests as skipper. He is the fifth captain overall after India’s Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar, South Africa's Jackie McGlew, and England's Alastair Cook.

Hundreds in first two Tests as captain

Note:

-Australia’s Greg Chappell and India’s Virat Kohli also had two centuries after first two Tests as captain, but they came in one single Test.

-Alastair Cook scored a hundred in each of his first five Tests as captain!

The new captain’s remarkable run has continued and he has aggregated 353 runs as captain in just three innings. Only one player – India’s Sunil Gavaskar – had scored more runs in first three innings as captain.

Most runs in first 3 innings as captain

Smith has now scored hundreds in three consecutive Tests. He has become 13th Australian to accomplish this feat and first since Matthew Hayden in 2008. Interestingly, Hayden had also set the record against India. Smith is the third Australian to score hundreds in three consecutive Tests against India.

Australians with hundreds in three consecutive Tests vs India

-Rajneesh Gupta