Steve Smith- The greatest test batsman alive?
What's the story
Steve Smith has confirmed his status as the best Test batsman on the planet.
The Aussie skipper's defiant 21st Test century helped the hosts in taking a slender 26 run lead in the Ashes opener.
The right-handed batsman showed grit, composure and concentration throughout his unbeaten knock of 141 which spanned over almost nine hours.
Breaks new ground
Smith's determination and grit has no bounds
Smith was summoned to the middle when Australia were reeling at 30/2 after just 10.3 overs.
He is not Don Bradman, but with an average of over 60 he is the closest to the cricketing great.
West Indies legend Garfield Sobers (60.14) and England's Wally Hammond (60.00) are the only other players to have averaged 60 after 57 matches into their careers.
Breaking records
Series-defining century at Gabba
There is Smith's best Test ton so far.
Gavaskar, who slammed 22 centuries in his first 57 Tests, is the only player who has scored more hundreds in his first 57 Tests than Smith. This analysis doesn't include Bradman who played only 52 Tests.
Test cricket's greatest ever century scorer, Sachin Tendulkar, only had 13 at the same stage in his career.
World class
How good is Stevie?
The best. He is the world's top ranked Test batsman for a reason.
Smith boasts the best Test average (61.23) amongst current players and only 2 players (Bradman and Voges) in history have had a better average than Smith.
Smith averages over 60 and the likes of cricketing greats such as Sachin (53+), Lara (52+) and Sir Viv Richards (50+) are far behind him.
Captain fantastic
Captaincy has made Smith a better cricketer
A hundred for the special occasion of his first Ashes Test as the captain.
This is not the first time the Aussie skipper has stood up to the occasion. Steven Smith averages at a stunning 70+ as captain.
On home soil that average gets even better climbing to 80.
As the captain, on home soil in the past year, Steve Smith averages above 100.
Unconventional
What makes Steven Smith so good?
The 28-year-old has a technique like no other batsman in world cricket.
The way he moves his feet makes it difficult for the bowlers.
A very strong player off the leg side, the movement he makes across his stumps, while the bowler is in his delivery stride, ensures he covers all three stumps and then exploits the leg side. This is unique to Smith.
The evolution
From a leg spinner to the world's best batsman
When Smith began his Test career in mid-2010 it was primarily as a leg-spinner. Today he is the best batsman in Test cricket.
His 21 tons in 57 Tests is a testament to his prowess, only Sunil Gavasakar and Don Bradman have taken fewer innings than Steve Smith to reach 21 Test 100s. Not bad for a bowler, right?