New Delhi: Cricketing fraternity on Thursday applauded Australia batsman Steven Smith for registering a century against England in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
The 30-year-old is playing his first Test after serving a one-year ban due to his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in Cape Town last year.
Smith played a knock of 144-runs and helped the team to post a respectable score of 284 in first innings.
Former India batsman Virender Sehwag took to Twitter and wrote, "What a 100 for Steve Smith. Under difficult conditions, arguably one of the best batsman in Test Cricket. #Ashes." Former English cricketer Michael Vaughan also praised Smith's hundred.
"One of the all-time Outstanding Test Innings ... To do that in his 1st Innings back in Test Cricket is remarkable ... Sometimes you have to admire greatness ... @stevesmith49 is some player ... #Ashes," Vaughan tweeted.
"100 for Steve Smith!What a knock! It's his 24th Test ton - is it his finest?#Ashes," ICC wrote on Twitter.
Ex-Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra wrote, "Steve Smith is being Smith. The old Fighting-it-Out-Smith. How much did Australia miss him in Tests!!! But leave that aside for a moment....how brilliant Siddle has been?? Superb fightback. #TheAshes."
"Really was an extraordinary inning from Steve Smith in his comeback Test, an innings full of guts, intensity, and tenacity. From 122/8, he has taken Australia to 284. #Ashes," another former cricketer VVS Laxman wrote.
At the time of filing this story, Australia were bundled out for 284 runs in the first innings.
