Steve Smith came into this test match with a brilliant record in previous Boxing-Day Tests. In his seven Boxing Day Tests, before this one, the right-hander has scored 908 runs at 113.50 with four centuries and three other scores more than 50. At his home ground in Sydney, his next best average at home, he has an average of 67.88. However, in this innings, he was done by a plan from Ravichandran Ashwin which he failed to read.
Soon after Wade was out in the 13th over of the Australian innings, Steve Smith was out for a duck in the 15th over. Smith who has had a good record in Boxing-Day Tests in the recent past, was out for a duck as he was caught by Ashwin in the slips. Cheteshwar Pujara caught him in the leg slip position as Smith tried to flick one through.
Watch: Steve Smith Falls For a Duck In Boxing-Day Test
Ravi Ashwin has Steve Smith!
The Aussie departs for a duck 👀
As simple as you like… pic.twitter.com/Y7pxOgWSA8
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) December 26, 2020
Meanwhile, this is the very first time Steve Smith was dismissed for a duck in the first innings of a test match. He was dismissed for just one run of Ashwin in the first innings of the first test as well. So far Smith has played just five balls of the Indian off-spinner and got dismissed twice.
Meanwhile, Australia won the toss in the Boxing-Day Test match. They opted to bat first and did not have the best of starts. Joe Burns was dismissed cheaply for a duck. Matthew Wade (30), Marnus Labuschagne (48) and Travis Head (38) all got starts but then failed to carry on. Smith’s dismissal by Ashwin was the biggest wicket of the day based on his superior record against India and especially in Boxing-Day Test matches.
Meanwhile, India yet to win a Test match this year and the Boxing-Day Test match presents a brilliant opportunity to change the stat. India are looking to make a comeback in the series after losing the opener 1-0 after putting in their worst performance in Test cricket with the bat in Adelaide.
Also Read: How Rishabh Pant Planned Matthew Wade’s Dismissal With Ravichandran Ashwin
