WI vs AUS: Steve Smith cops blow on dislocated finger, but says nothing to worry
He didn't show any immediate pain, but after facing the next ball, he removed his gloves, revealing a heavily strapped little finger. But when he looked to flex the finger, he grimaced in pain. The physio and his team rushed to attend to him. However, he showed hardly any discomfort to stroke an emphatic 71, the half-century not only helping Australia recover from a tricky 3/28 to 221/7 at the end, with a commanding lead of 254 runs, he also completed 15,000 runs in first-class cricket.
In the post-match chat with the broadcaster, he admitted that he suffered pain on the finger, but was fine. 'My first ball hit me straight on the finger. It was not ideal but it feels alright. It is that kind of surface,' he said.
The deck at St George's is getting more difficult to bat, he admitted. 'Some can shoot up, you might have to take a few on the hands, but it is all good. We are in a nice spot. It was a tricky surface – little up and down, little bit of seam movement. Don't think the wicket is going to get any better, will probably do a few more tricks,' he said.
He made the required adjustments to bat freely. 'Decided to bat on middle stump, stay still and negate lbw as much as possible, and try to use the full face of the bat as much as possible. Tried to cash in on anything loose to put the pressure back on the bowler,' he said.
His team is aiming to set a target of 300-plus to chase on the surface. 'The new ball is going to be pretty crucial for us. Hopefully we can get up to somewhere around 300 and then we'll see how it goes,' he said.
In the commentary box, Greg Blewett couldn't stop showering superlatives on Smith. 'He's looking ominous on a surface where a lot of people have struggled. He's just got this unbelievable belief that he's going to make runs whenever he bats. Smith looked like a dynamite as soon as he went out there. He's been at another level really,' he said.
Former West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite continued the raves: 'Steve Smith has proven why he is one of, if not, the best batter in our generation.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
India in England: Birmingham breached, over to Lord's
CHENNAI: JAMIE Smith had just smacked Akash Deep into the stands in the 56th over. Much like he had throughout the first innings, Smith had taken on every time the ball was in his zone no matter the situation. The last time he got out in this series was 13 days ago on Day Three of the first Test in Leeds. Here, on the final day of the Edgbaston Test, batting on 88 off 98 balls, Smith was once again standing between India and a historic victory. This time, however, India had the luxury of runs and England, just as they did in the first innings, were only delaying the inevitable. On the fourth ball of the 56th over, Akash Deep kept it short again, but this time with the lack of pace Smith ended up top-edging it and Washington Sundar completed a simple catch in the deep. Akask Deep finally has his moment of the match. He had taken a five-wicket haul — his first in the format and in international cricket — after finishing with four wickets in the first innings. As the bowler raised his hand with the ball, acknowledging the moment, he received a tight hug from his fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj, the leader of the attack. Siraj, in fact, had asked Akash Deep if he should bowl defensively so that the Bengal pacer could take a fifer only 48 hours ago. But Akash Deep knew that it was only a matter of time before he earned it. And he did so in style on Day Five of the second Test.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
First in 58 years: Gill becomes 1st captain to win a Test in Birmingham
Shubman Gill and Team India etched their names into the history books as India secured their first-ever Test match victory at Edgbaston, Birmingham, defeating England by 336 runs on the final day of the second Test to level the series 1-1. This historic win marks India's maiden triumph at Edgbaston in 58 years, making Gill the first Indian captain to achieve a Test victory at this venue. With England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach expected to challenge India on Day 5, especially while chasing a daunting 608-run target, it was the visitors who drew first blood. Despite a rain delay pushing back the start of play, Indian pacer Akash Deep struck twice in his opening spell, removing key batters and putting India in a commanding position early. Akash's impressive performance with the new ball throughout the match has proven his ability to step up in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. England's hopes of salvaging a draw rested on captain Ben Stokes and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who put together a resilient 70-run partnership. However, just before the lunch break, Washington Sundar broke the stand, trapping Stokes LBW, a breakthrough that gave India ample time to claim the remaining four wickets and push for a memorable win. The start of the post-lunch session saw Washington Sundar continue to try to put the batters under pressure. Smith and Woakes tried their best to get some momentum into the innings. While Smith reached his fifty in the 47th over, Woakes was extra cautious not to lose his wicket. It was Prasidh Krishna who came in and took Woakes out of the game. With 3 wickets left, it was Akash Deep who came back with a bang and registered his maiden Test fifer for India as well, by taking out Smith with a short pitched delivery that tricked Smith as he was caught at deep square in attempt of a big hit. Jamie Smith hanged around for 29 balls to avoid the inevitable but eventually lost his wicket to Ravindra Jadeja as India were left with just more wicket to take for the win, and Akash Deep obliged by removing Brydon Carse and handing India the win. Ajit Wadekar was the first Indian captain to win a Test match in England as his side beat the Three Lions by 4 wickets at the Oval. The win in the 3rd Test of the three-match series also handed them their first series win in England. Indian captains who won a Test in England Captain Year(s) of Test Win in England Matches Won Lost Draw Win % Lost % Ajit Wadekar 1971 6 1 3 2 16.66 50 Kapil Dev 1986 3 2 0 1 66.66 – Sourav Ganguly 2002 4 1 1 2 25 25 Rahul Dravid 2007 3 1 0 2 33.33 – MS Dhoni 2014 9 1 7 1 11.11 77.77 Virat Kohli 2018, 2021 9 3 5 1 33.33 55.55 Shubman Gill 2025 2 1 1 0 50 50 India's humble beginnings India first toured England in 1932, marking their debut in international Test cricket. However, it wasn't until July 1967 that India played a Test match in Birmingham, at the iconic Edgbaston ground. That game marked the beginning of India's long and challenging journey at the venue, which remained unconquered for decades. The 1967 Test at Edgbaston was part of a tough series for India, who were still developing their footing in overseas conditions. Over the years, India returned to Birmingham multiple times but failed to secure a win, with Edgbaston becoming a fortress for England in home conditions. It wasn't until 2025 that India finally broke the jinx with a historic victory under the leadership of Shubman Gill. The win ended a 58-year-long wait and added a glorious chapter to India's cricketing legacy in England, highlighting how far the team has come since its humble beginnings in 1932. Team India Test results at Edgbaston No. Start Date Result Margin Toss Bat 1 13/07/67 Lost 132 runs Lost 2nd 2 04/07/74 Lost Inns & 78 runs Won 1st 3 12/07/79 Lost Inns & 83 runs Lost 2nd 4 03/07/86 Draw - Lost 2nd 5 06/06/96 Lost 8 wickets Won 1st 6 10/08/11 Lost Inns & 242 runs Lost 1st 7 01/08/18 Lost 31 runs Lost 2nd 8 01/07/22 Lost 7 wickets Lost 1st 9 06/07/25 Won 336 runs Lost 1st
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Indian Express
Shubman Gill ‘almost a carbon copy of that genius' Virat Kohli, says Jonathan Trott as India captain takes England by storm
Regardless of what happens in the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, Shubman Gill's performance would be one that will be spoken about for years to come. The Indian captain broke a plethora of records in the first innings by scoring 269 in 387 balls and then went on to break some more by smashing 161 in just 162 balls in the second innings. All of this comes after he scored 147 in the first innings of the first Test. Gill played at No.4 at Edgbaston, as opposed to No.3 at Headingley, and former England batter Jonathan Trott felt that he looked like a carbon copy of the previous incumbent at the former position, Virat Kohli. 'I honestly feel privileged to be here and witness that innings,' said Trott on Star Sports on Gill's second innings masterclass. Gill kept up with the demand of the match situation in which India needed to score quickly, hitting 13 fours and eight sixes in his innings. He is only the second Indian man after Sunil Gavaskar to score a double century and a century in the same Test. Gill also broke Gavaskar's record for most runs by an Indian batter in a Test match. Shubman Gill becomes only the second Indian man after Sunil Gavaskar and 9th overall to record a double century and century in the same Test. Only the second batter to achieve the feat in the World Test Championship after Marnus Labuschagne.#INDvENG — Lalith Kalidas (@lal__kal) July 5, 2025 'I can't recall him giving the English bowlers even a single chance. The way he shifted gears — hitting sixes at will — without slogging, just pure cricket shots, was something special. Today, he showed how complete a batter he is. It reminded me of the previous Indian number four — almost a carbon copy of that genius. I don't think he could've dreamed of a better start to his first two Tests on this tour. Sure, he'd have liked to win at Headingley, but now he's hopefully set up a fantastic victory here tomorrow,' said Trott. Gill's start to the series has left him with a scarcely believable tally of 585 runs just four innings into the five-match series. This means that he has Gavaskar's record for most runs by an Indian in a Test series (774) well in sight. He also broke MS Dhoni's record for most sixes by an Indian Test captain in an innings and a match.
