Galle:
For the former Captain of Australia, Ricky Ponting, it is difficult to argue against Steve Smith deserves to be considered the best player of his generation only in numbers. On the inaugural day of the first test between Australia and Sri Lanka, Smith rose to new heights in trial format with a movement of mid Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya minutes before lunch. It was interrupted in a sprint to complete a 10,000 and 10,000 racing test, joining the exclusive ranges with the Australian elites Ponting, Allan Border and Steve Waugh to complete the feat.
Smith stood up and soaked in the applause from the Australian contingent who traveled to Galle. He raised the bat to all corners of the ground to celebrate the historical moment of his illustrious career.
After Smith, a famous member of the ‘Fab Four’, added another feat to his name, Ponting feels that the extravagant batter Smith deserves to be considered the best player of his generation.
For Ponting, Smith’s numbers presented a strong argument for him to be the best player in front of Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root.
“Is he the best player of his generation? It is difficult to argue against. Joe Root is the other now, and [Kane] Williamson’s record is also exceptional. Joe’s last two years have elevated him there, I think “said seven Ponting commentator as cited at the Sydney Morning Herald.
“Five or six years ago, when these great four emerged, with [Virat] Kohli being one of those too, Joe was probably close to the bottom of that because he had not made the hundreds of people who had done, but he has made 19 hundreds in the last four years, “he added.
Smith is the fifth fastest player to write the milestone in his name, achieving the feat in 205 tickets, only behind Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara and Ponting.
While it is common for players to add lots of races to their account while they bat in their homeland, Smith has proven to be a player of the entire condition. Almost half of their races have reached abroad at an average of 53.
In 57 tests abroad, Smith has obtained 5,084 races, an average of 53.51, including 17 centuries and 22 years fifty and the best score of 215.
“If you asked an Englishman that Joe Root would say, if you asked an Australian that Steve Smith would say, and if they asked a kiwi, Kane Williamson would say. So it’s difficult, but in the numbers themselves are quite difficult to argue in Against what he has done, “Ponting said.
In the third session, Smith raised his bat to celebrate his nineteenth century. He hit the ball to collect three easy races and add another praise to his name.
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