Australian skipper Steve Smith has been playing some extraordinary form this year. In the 10 Tests played in 2017, he had amassed as many as 945 runs at an average of 63 with a highest 178.

Steve has scored four centuries and three half-centuries in the same period. With another Ashes Test to go before the end of the year, Smith might well cross the 1000-run mark in the calendar year. Recently his hundred at Brisbane, which was his 21st in Tests, got a lot of praise considering the situation under which it came.

In a column for cricket.com.au, the Smith wrote, “In the wake of my century at the Gabba in the first Test of the Magellan Ashes series, a lot of people have asked me where it ranks among the hundreds. Having had some time to think about it, the 141 in Brisbane is in my top three innings for Australia, with each knock earning its place for different reasons.”

Explaining the Brisbane century, Smith wrote, ”The century at the start of the summer was all about leadership. The first match of an Ashes series is so important. I was really determined to try and start the series really well and lead by example. It was a lot of hard work, I had to get through a lot of difficult periods and England set quite defensive fields to me at times.”

Revealing that he never felt the English attack intimidating, Steve said, ”I just felt in a good place. I just felt at ease and in my own little bubble out there in the middle. It was my slowest hundred and I had to shelve some shots, be patient, disciplined and resilient.”

Smith concluded by pointing out the fact that it was important to have discipline and resilience. He said, “These are two things I talk about with the team, so as the leader it was important that I showed those traits and got through those testing periods and put a big score on the board.”