Ashes 2019: Steve Smith joins elite group with back-to-back centuries; surpasses yet another Virat Kohli milestone

Birmingham, Aug 4: Australia batsman Steve Smith shattered several batting records as he slammed a hundred in each innings of the ongoing Ashes Test between England and Australia here on Sunday (August 4).

Smith became just the third Australia batsman to score a hundred in each innings of an Ashes Test on English soil. The former Australia captain scored a magnificent 144 from 219 deliveries in the first innings of the opening Test and led the charge for the visitors second time around on Sunday.

First batsman after Hayden to slam twin tons in Ashes

The right-handed talismanic batsman, who is making a comeback in the Test format after serving one-year ban, is the first player after Matthew Hayden to slam a ton in both the innings of an Ashes Test.

Hayden had slammed twin tons in the Gabba Test in 2002-03 Ashes series that was held in Australia.

Most #Ashes Test 100s
19 - Don Bradman (63 inns)
12 - Jack Hobbs (71)
10 - Steve Waugh (72)/Steve Smith (43)
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Fewest inns to reach 10th #Ashes 100
37 - Bradman
43 - S Smith
48 - Hobbs
71 - S Waugh#Ashes19 #EngvAus #EngvsAus
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 4, 2019

Fewest innings to reach 25th Test 100

Steve Smith (119 innings) has surpassed India's Virat Kohli (127 innings) to become second fastest to 25 Test centuries after Don Bradman (68 innings).

He also slammed his seventh Ashes ton to equal Steve Waugh. He's only behind Bradman (19) and Jack Hobbs (12) in this list.

First Aussie since 1997 to slam twin tons in England

In reaching three figures again, he became the first Australian to score 100 or more in both innings in England since Steve Waugh at Old Trafford in 1997, and only the third in history, with Warren Bardsley having also achieved the feat at the Oval in 1909.