During Day 2 of the Test match in Brisbane, fans saw how Steve Smith has been changing his batting style in different matches of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series. In Perth, he covered his stumps; in Adelaide, he stood at a leg stump, and in Gabba, his stance was more open. He even changed how he moves before hitting the ball. Many people were worried he was struggling. Some thought he was a great player, but his best days were behind him.
At 36 years old, Smith scored 110 runs at Lord’s last June but hadn’t reached 100 runs again in 24 innings. Although he has been considered one of the best players since Don Bradman, many feared his time was over.
For most of the day, it seemed like everyone’s worries about Smith were true. He was missing a lot of balls and getting hit, and runs weren’t coming easily. But he didn’t give up. Great players often show their true character by working hard and trying again.
During one over by Akash Deep, Smith was beaten four times, and bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were challenging him. It was a tough inning, but sometimes great players need a little luck too. Fortunately, that luck helped Smith score a determined century.
“I feel like I’ve been batting well the last month,” he said. “I just stuck to my game plan, and the luck turned in my favor.”
When he started to bat well again, it meant trouble for India. Toward the end of his 101-run effort, he showed some of the old brilliance we all admire. Based on statistics from CricViz, Smith had 20 times when he almost missed hitting the ball, which is one of the highest numbers for him in any home Test.
What about those changes in his batting style? Smith said he’s always been a tinkerer. “I’ve changed my setup in every game for the last 15 years. It isn’t new for me,” he explained. He always seeks the best ways to play according to the pitch, and in this match, he adjusted to tackle the bouncy ball by staying slightly out of the crease.
Despite not scoring centuries for a while, Smith kept his focus and understood that things can change if you work hard. Akash Deep made him miss 28% of the time, while Bumrah and Siraj made him miss too. How did he survive all this? Sometimes on your day, things just work out well. “I’ve played long enough to know that the game turns around,” said Smith. If you work hard, things will improve.
Smith’s journey teaches us a lesson: the only thing we can control is our effort. This is something we see with him and also with players like Virat Kohli. They strive to be the best while also staying focused.
In the end, the day was a testament to Test cricket. It showed us a legend struggling before finding his way again. That fight back is what makes watching cricket special, and it’s worth every moment.
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