WTC 2023 Final: Travis Head's dominating performance helps Australia breach the 400-run mark on Day 2

The second edition of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and India got underway at The Oval in London on Wednesday, June 7. The very first day of the game witnessed Australian batters dominating and giving a beffiting reply to the Indian bowlers, who had started the innings on a high note.

After being asked to bat first, Australia opener David Warner provided his side with a tremendous start after Mohammed Siraj dismissed his fellow opening partner Usman Khawaja for a 10-ball duck. After his departure, Warner led the charge of the Pat Cummins-led side and put on a crucial partnership with Marnus Labuschagne. However, the 36-year-old, who scored 43 off 60 deliveries, was removed by Shardul Thakur after the lunch break.

Later Travis Head and Steve Smith stitched a crucial partnership of 251 off 370 balls for the fourth wicket after Cummins and Co. were reduced to 76/3 in the second session of Day 1. Head played a remarkable innings in the marquee event, scoring the first-ever hundred of the WTC final. He reached the three-figure mark with the help of 106 balls. Smith, on the other hand, scored a half-century as Australia posted 327/3 in 85 overs at stumps on Day 1.

On Day 2, Siraj provided an early breakthrough for India, dismissing Head. The 29-year-old played a remarkable innings in the WTC final, scoring 163 in just 174 deliveries and also producing a 408-ball 285 runs partnership with Smith.

Smith surpasses Hayden's record after scoring century in WTC final

Smith resumed his innings on a high note and breached the three-figure mark on Day 2. The 34-year-old batter, who finished at 95* on Day 1, smashed Siraj for successive boundaries in the first over of the second day to register his 31st Test ton. With his century, the Australian ace has overtaken Matthew Hayden in the list of most centuries for Australia. However, while Smith was starting to look confident, he ended up cutting off  Thakur while on 121 off 268.