Steve Smith continued his revival with a magnificent century as he and Australia’s bowlers put the hosts firmly on top against India after day two of the fourth Test in Melbourne.
After ending a run of 26 Test innings without a ton in the third Test in Brisbane, Smith followed up with a belligerent 140 to help Australia post 474 in their first innings.
It was the 34-year-old’s 34th Test century and moved him up to joint seventh on the all-time list, in a five-strong group that includes Brian Lara and Sunil Gavaskar.
Smith’s knock included a crucial 112-run partnership for the seventh wicket with captain Pat Cummins, who hit 49.
Smith was eventually dismissed in bizarre fashion when he charged Akash Deep and the ball hit the pads off an inside edge before rolling into his leg stump.
India skipper Rohit Sharma’s poor run of form with the bat continued when he fell for just three off the bowling of Cummins at the start of India’s reply.
The Australia skipper then bowled KL Rahul with a beauty just before tea to leave India reeling on 51-2.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli steadied the innings with a partnership of 102 before a desperate mix-up saw Jaiswal run out for 82.
Scott Boland then removed Kohli for 36 and Deep for a duck as India limped to 164-5 at the close, still trailing by 310 runs. Before Jaiswal’s dismissal, they had been going along handily at 153-2.
The five-match series is level at 1-1, with both sides looking to win it 3-1 to guarantee a place in the World Test Championship final.
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