Ashes 2019 | Sachin Tendulkar hails Steve Smith comeback, lauds Nathan Lyon

When Smith walked out to bat at 17 for two, on day one in front of a hostile Edgbaston crowd, the task ahead of him resembled a mountain at least. Adding to that, he was playing his first Test match after serving a year-long ban for the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. As though the circumstances couldn’t have been stacked against him any further, none of his fellow batsmen except Travis Head reached double figures even. Australia slumped to 122/8. 

But then, Smith proved why the class is permanent, stitching a partnership together with Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon, scored 144 in the process, and took Australia to a respectable total of 284.

Australia then kept the hosts lead down to 90, before putting on a brilliant performance posting a mammoth 487 for seven. Smith struck another century (142), his 25th in Tests. The visitors then wrapped things up in under two sessions, courtesy of a six-wicket haul by Lyon.  Both Smith and Lyon earned the praise of the Indian batting legend in the process. 

"Well played Smith. What a way to make a comeback to Test cricket. Terrific bowling by @NathLyon421. Congratulations to Australia for winning the first Test match," Tendulkar tweeted.

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