Twitter Reactions: Steve Smith smothers India to his ninth ODI ton in Bengaluru

Steve Smith was in awe-inspiring form in 2019 in Test and T20I cricket, scoring runs in heaps. The 30-year-old has now carried forward his touch in the ODI format as well. Smith is currently in India for the three-match ODI series and he has shown his class and caliber. In the second match at the SCA Stadium in Rajkot, he fell short of a century after Kuldeep Yadav found his inside-edge on 98.

But he didn’t let the pressure get to him in the third ODI at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Smith came to bat after Australia lost the early wicket of David Warner to Mohammed Shami. Thereafter, he was involved in a shambolic mix-up with skipper Aaron Finch that led to the latter’s run-out. The leather was moving around a wee bit and the onus was again on Smith.

Steve Smith shows his class

Smith was joined by Marnus Labuschagne for the third wicket. The duo steadied the ship and got the Aussies out of jail. The pair, who has scored tons of runs for the national team in the last 12 months, added 127 runs for the third wicket. It was the same stand that put on a useful 96 runs in Rajkot, though it came in a losing cause. Smith was fluent in his knock and got to his fifty off 63 balls.

Smith lost Labuschagne as his partner when Ravindra Jadeja got rid of the latter. However, Smith didn’t allow the situation to ruffle him. Rather, he carried on with the good work, realizing that Australia needed him to stay in the middle. He got an able partner in Alex Carey, who smacked six fours to score 35 runs off 36 balls before Kuldeep Yadav got rid of him. Smith was then on 98.

He had to wait for a while before he scored the remaining two runs. Ashton Turner played out the entire 43rd over, scoring only a single. In the third ball of the next over from Navdeep Saini, Smith accomplished his ninth ODI century off 117 balls. He ran one down to the third man region and set off for a single. He didn’t celebrate much as he knew that his job wasn’t completed just yet.

Here’s how Twitterati lauded Smith for the masterful knock:

Magnificent century in the context of the game by #SteveSmith. Labuschagne and him have been brothers – in – arms for a while now#INDvAUS #INDvsAUS #AUSvsIND #AUSvInd

— BloggerDan (@DanBlogger) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith is Mr Century

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 19, 2020

Rain..shine…slow..fast..up..down….home ..away .. no need to fear when there is #stevesmith #INDvsAUS #BadriBytes

— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) January 19, 2020

That relief I have that I can tweet finally on Steve Smith century. pic.twitter.com/Yud95U5L8l

— tenaciouskind (@Nuttiesvd) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith getting a century in the series? #Narative #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/MUBaGotePS

— World Champions! 🔴 (@liverpool_98) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith Quality –

*Series On the Line & Smith Performed
*Decider Match & Smith Performed
*Pressure Games & Smith Performed
*Pressure Situation & Smith Performed
*Away Performance & Smith Performed#INDvAUS @stevesmith49 #LEGEND🙌👏👏 pic.twitter.com/l35lc316S8

— Tanuj Kumar Singh (@iamTanujSi) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith 💯 💯…. Wow wow what a player…..unstoppable smith #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/El7K6yhOga

— Rahul (@Rahul29980458) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith's ODI 100s

1. 101 vs PAK
2. 104 vs SA
3. 102* vs ENG
4. 105 vs IND
5. 149 vs IND
6. 108 vs SA
7. 164 vs NZ
8. 108*vs PAK
9. 101* vs IND (Today)#INDvAUS

— Rajesh Khilare (@Cricrajeshpk) January 19, 2020

9th ODI century for Steve Smith!

The last time he scored a ODI century was in January 2017, against Pakistan at WACA Perth.

This is his third ODI hundred against India.#INDvsAUS #Smith

— Rahul Pandey (@RahulP1617) January 19, 2020

Probability of your crush saying yes > Probability of Steve Smith getting out…🤣

— Shitty Teenager 🖕 (@shubham7089) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith performs home, away, Odi or Test
This guy is truly unreal!!!!

— . (@alenastan5) January 19, 2020

if class had another name it would be @stevesmith49 #INDvsAUS #stevesmith

— Sharath Rana (@sharath_rana) January 19, 2020

https://twitter.com/carpo_10/status/1218855031207690241?s=20

Steve Smith is the student in Engineering who gets detained one year,comes back next year and gets distinction.

— yaarivanu_unknownu (@venkateshs91) January 19, 2020

Steve Smith runs out the captain Aaron Finch then goes on to score a century, I think that's an adequate apology

— Mr. Goodkat (@Zaps00) January 19, 2020