AUS vs WI | Twitter reacts as Steve Smith showcases extreme bravado with riskiest ramp shot in Test history
Steve Smith has for a decade been the face of greatness in Test cricket and while he is by no means conventional, the veteran took unorthodoxy to an extreme length on Sunday. With the Windies a wicket away from one of the greatest Test wins ever, Smith brought out the ramp shot to stun one and all.
West Indies shook Australia to their core in the first session at the Gabba on Thursday to whittle them down from 60/2 to 187/8 in a chase of 216 on the back of Shamar Joseph breathing fire to scalp six wickets in one spell. However, Steve Smith remained steadfast at one end, extending his overnight score of 33 past 80 when another tragedy struck immediately after dinner as Nathan Lyon succumbed to Alzarri Joseph leaving Windies just one wicket away from an unprecedented win. With everything on the line and a chance to secure a famous win with a knock for the ages, Steve Smith threw conventional wisdom out of the book in unbelievable fashion.
With 20 runs needed to win, the Aussie legend pre-emptively went down on one knee to a delivery angling across the stumps and scooped a bowl over the wicket-keeper's head all the way into the stands for a massive six. Had the shot gone haywire, a barrage of criticism and a stain on Smith's burgeoning reputation would have been inevitable but Twitterati was all praise for an exhibition of the unwavering confidence that has brought the 34-year-old nearly 10,000 Test runs.
Beautifull!!
The ramp for six from Steve Smith, unbelievable 😮 #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/yzQvYyJUzN
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 28, 2024
Crazy
— Jas Pope (@jas_pope93438) January 28, 2024
Madness
Steve Smith is MAD! Unbelievable.
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) January 28, 2024
Hero mode turned on!
Steve Smith going hero mode for Australia. Ramp shot for 6 pic.twitter.com/phost6oTah
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) January 28, 2024
He can
Can Steve Smith Win the match for Australia 🤔❓ #AUSvsWI#Stevesmithpic.twitter.com/AvdTxDaKGm
— sports cricket (@cricket_new07) January 28, 2024
Clutch time
Steve Smith showing clutch genes. What a shot in such a tense situation.
— Abhishek Ojha (@vicharabhio) January 28, 2024
👏pic.twitter.com/CbAWFQW5e9
He is a mad man
And Steve Smith play such kind of shot 😂😂😂#INDvsENG #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/wsQjVbwPHR
— Lavesh Jain (@lavesh_jain10) January 28, 2024
Just wow!
OH MY GOD
— SRIKANTH (@Srkr1989) January 28, 2024
Whatta Six by #SteveSmith #TestCricket #AUSvsWI #INDvsENG #royalrumble pic.twitter.com/Ol77sp77OL
The GOAT!
STEVE SMITH, YOU'RE A TEST GOAT FOR A REASON. https://t.co/ga4CdDR2QQ
— Aahil (@KulcheNihari) January 28, 2024
Fabulous!
That's fabulous shot Steve Smith #AUSvsWI
— Shivam Singh (@ShivamMirzapur2) January 28, 2024