Steve Smith admitted he 'rode his luck' despite producing a masterclass performance at the crease against India to strike his first Test century since June 2023. Smith had been one of several names in the spotlight, following Australia's dismal 295-run defeat by India in the first Border-Gavaskar Test in Perth last month.
![[Smith (pictured), alongside Travis Head, both hit centuries on day two to help Australia take a 405/7 lead in the third Test]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/15/11/93165707-0-image-a-11_1734263342447.jpg)
But on Sunday, he, alongside Travis Head, produced a stunning pair of hundreds to help Australia take a 405/7 lead in the third Test, with the series now swinging heavily in the hosts' favour. Smith was eventually dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah for 101 runs from 190 deliveries, striking 12 fours in the process.
![[Smith admitted he 'rode his luck' in the innings but cut a defiant figure after his indifferent form so far in the series that has seen him hit just 19 runs over three innings]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/15/11/93165701-0-image-a-12_1734263392981.jpg)
It comes as Smith has been tinkering with his technique and brought back his trigger movement for this weekend's Test at the Gabba. Smith hadn't chosen to deploy his shuffle during the first Test in Perth after he'd been dismissed for lbw for a duck by Bumrah.
![[Smith paused for a moment and appeared to stare up towards a point in the stands for several seconds]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/15/11/93165731-0-Smith_paused_for_a_moment_and_appeared_to_stare_up_towards_a_poi-a-9_1734263309105.jpg)
But Smith looked back to his best on Sunday to score his first 100 in 18 months, which puts him second in Australia's all-time leading century-makers, with 33 tons. Steve Smith spun his bat up into the air after breaking his 18-month drought for a 100. Smith (pictured), alongside Travis Head, both hit centuries on day two to help Australia take a 405/7 lead in the third Test.
![[Adam Gilchrist claimed that Smith's stare towards the stands was him sharing the 100 with his team-mates]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/15/12/93166521-0-image-a-14_1734266809071.jpg)
Smith admitted he 'rode his luck' in the innings but cut a defiant figure after his indifferent form so far in the series that has seen him hit just 19 runs over three innings. But after only scoring two runs in Adelaide, Smith responded to questions over his Test credentials emphatically in Brisbane.
![[Smith was subsequently seen embracing Travis Head (right) while the pair stood on the wicket after he too had scored a hundred]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/15/12/93165713-0-image-a-13_1734266573273.jpg)
