Steve Smith joins Don Bradman in elite club with 10th 50 plus score in MCG Tests-OxBig News Network

Steve Smith has joined the legendary Don Bradman in an elite list of batters to have got 10 or more scores of 50 plus in Tests at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The right-hander achieved the feat in the Boxing Day Test against Rohit Sharma’s India. On Day 1, the 35-year-old Smith joined Bradman, Greg Chappell and Ricky Ponting in the list.

Australia vs India, 4th Test, Day 1 Updates

Chappell is on top of the list with 13 fifty plus scores from 17 Tests. Bradman and Ponting are second and third in the list with 12 and 11 fifty plus scores respectively at the MCG. Smith got to his half-century off 71 balls in the post-tea session on Day 1 of the Melbourne Test.

List of batters with most 50 plus Test scores at MCG

Greg Chappell – 13 from 17 Tests

Don Bradman – 12 from 11 Tests

Ricky Ponting – 11 from 15 Tests

Steve Smith – 10 from 12 Tests

Steve Smith nearing another major landmark

Smith is currently on the verge of becoming only the fourth batter from Australia to reach the landmark of 9000 runs in Test cricket. The others are Ponting, Allan Border and Steve Smith. Smith did not have the best of times in the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth and Adelaide.

But Smith returned to form with a magnificent hundred in the third Test at The Gabba in Brisbane. In the first innings, he scored 101 runs off 190 balls with the help of 12 fours before Jasprit Bumrah accounted for his wicket. He was also involved in a partnership of 241 runs with Travis Head for the fourth wicket.

Australia are looking to win the ongoing Test series after losing the last two times when India toured in 2018-19 and 2020-21.