India has made a disappointing start to their Australia tour as they have lost the ODI series by virtue of losing the first two ODI games by huge margins. Steve Smith, Australia’s No.3 who was finding it difficult to get a fifty in the IPL ha scored back to back centuries to demolish the Indian bowlers. There are some players who just like playing against a particular opposition whether it is their home or the opposition’s home. They bring their A-game against that particular side and always score runs. Three batsmen have managed to score at least five centuries against India in both ODI and Test formats. So, let’s have a look at the three batsmen.
- Ricky Ponting – 8 in Tests and 6 in ODIs
Players like Ricky Ponting score runs against each and every opponent, but he liked the Indian bowlers more than the other bowlers. He dominated the Indian bowlers on most of the occasions, and they had no answers against him. Ponting has played 29 Test matches against India scoring 2555 runs at an average of 54.36 with eight centuries. He also has 12 half-centuries in Test cricket against India. He has played 59 ODIs against India and scored 2164 runs at an average of 40.07 with six centuries and nine half-centuries which include the huge hundred in the 2003 World Cup Final which the Indians don’t want to remember. Ponting is one of the players who has hit more than five centuries against India in both formats.
- Kumar Sangakkara – 5 in Tests and 6 in ODIs
Kumar Sangakkara is one of the most underrated cricketers in the world. He has a higher Test average than many great players but nobody talks about him. He has the most double hundreds in Test cricket after Sir Donald Bradman. Sangakkara loved playing against India because the conditions in India and Sri Lanka were somewhat similar, and he used to enjoy the conditions. He played 17 Tests against India scoring 1352 runs at an average of 52 with five centuries and two half-centuries. In ODIs against India, he has scored 2700 runs in 76 matches at an average of 39.71 with six centuries and 18 half-centuries. Sangakkara has a total of 11 centuries against India in both formats.
- Steve Smith – 7 in Tests and 5 in ODIs
Steve Smith was the latest entrant to this list as he bought up his fifth ODI hundred against India in the 2nd ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He has dominated the Indian bowlers like they are 12-year-olds as he has scored centuries in 62 balls on both occasions. If you asked what is Steve Smith’s last wish, he would probably say that give me one more chance to bat against India. In tests against India, he has scored 1429 runs in 10 matches at an average of 84.06 with seven tons and three half-centuries. He has crossed fifty runs in almost every Test against India. In ODIs against India, he has scored 1116 runs at an average of 65.65 with five centuries and five half-centuries which include the century in the 2015 World Cup semi-final against India. The Test matches are yet to start and there is no doubt that he will be aiming to score a couple of more tons against India.
