Steve Smith hits 62-ball ton again, but falls to Hardik Pandya in Sydney ODI

Steve Smith continued his domination of the Indian cricket team as he smashed his 11^th century and fifth against India to put Australia on course for a remarkable total. The staggering fact about this knock was that Steve Smith notched up his century in 62 balls, the same number that he took against India in the previous ODI at the same venue on Friday. This was his third consecutive century against India in ODIs. Clearly, he loves the Sydney Cricket Ground and also the Indian cricket team. However, just like on Friday, Smith perished after getting to the landmark, giving Hardik Pandya his first ODI wicket in 507 days.

It was a class innings from Steve Smith who looked settled from the first ball itself. With this knock, Smith is now in the list of fastest ODI tons by an Australian player twice, with Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner leading the list with 51 and 57 balls respectively.

Australia won the toss and batted with David Warner and Aaron Finch once again building a solid partnership. David Warner and Aaron Finch notched up their fifth century partnership against India which is the most by any Australian duo in ODIs against India. However, when both openers fell after reaching fifty, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne steadied the ship.

Smith in top form

Smith started with a couple of boundaries against Mohammed Shami but in the 30^th over bowled by Ravindra Jadeja, Smith hit a four and a six to build momentum. Smith hit two boundaries off the struggling Navdeep Saini and once again, he notched up his fifty in quick time.

Steve Smith hit two boundaries off Mayank Agarwal as he raised his gear. After hitting two boundaries off Mohammed Shami, Steve Smith put on an exhibition against Jasprit Bumrah. The first ball was cut to sweeper cover for a boundary while the second ball was a slow delivery that was guided to the third man boundary. Smith ended the over in style by flicking a length ball to the deep midwicket fence.

Smith walloped a six off Yuzvendra Chahal and he notched up his century in quick time before he reached out to a wide delivery and got an outside edge to shortish third man. Perhaps, the best chance that India have of getting rid of Smith is only after he reaches a century. Not before that.