Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has hailed Australian batsman Steve Smith as the finest Test batter of the current era, citing his consistency and “unbelievable” average in scoring runs. Kohli’s comments on Smith carry significant weight, considering his own stature as one of the batting stalwarts of the present generation. According to Kohli, Smith stands out among batters in the Test format over the past decade due to his remarkable consistency, as he expressed his admiration for Smith prior to the World Test Championship Final.

On Day 1 of the WTC Final, Australia finished with a commanding total of 327 for three, thanks to impressive innings from Travis Head and Steve Smith. At the end of the day’s play, Head had scored 146 runs while Smith was unbeaten at 95. Australia added 157 runs in the final session of 34 overs without losing a wicket.

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The unbeaten partnership between Head and Smith has yielded 251 runs for the fourth wicket so far. Earlier in the post-lunch session, Australia added 97 runs in 28 overs for the loss of one wicket after being asked to bat. Kohli praised Smith for his batting prowess, describing him as the “best” player of the modern era. The 34-year-old Indian star went on to emphasize that Smith’s consistency is unmatched among his contemporaries.

“According to me, Steve Smith is the best Test player of this generation. He has shown incredible adaptability. Look at any cricketer of this generation, everybody knows his record. In 85-90 Tests, he has an average of 60, which is truly unbelievable. The consistency and impact with which he scores runs, I haven’t seen any Test player doing that in the last 10 years. It’s a credit to his skill and temperament,” said Virat Kohli in an interview with Star Sports.

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Smith entered the WTC Final with an impressive record of 8792 runs from 96 Tests at an average of 59.80, including 30 centuries and 37 half-centuries. Kohli, who is widely regarded as the greatest batsman of his generation across all formats, has amassed 8416 runs from 108 Tests at an average of 48.93, with 28 centuries and an equal number of half-centuries to his name.