Ashes: Best Batting Performances in History

Test Cricket is helmed as the ultimate format of the game. It tests the cricketing skills, temperament, determination, and mental and physical strengths of the players. Years after years, cricketers thrive to represent their respective countries in whites. It's a matter of pride for every budding cricketer to wear a test cap. 

Since its inception, Australia and England have been facing each other in test series called, The Ashes. The long and rich history of Ashes serves a great amount of respect between these two fierce rivals. Their competitiveness on the field makes it even more intense. In order to fight for the 'Urn', each Ashes series witnesses batting masterclasses over the years by specialist batters. 

Their batting display is etched into our memories. Speaking of the top five run-getters in Ashes have four Aussie blood and one English cricketer. Among them, only Steve Smith is an active cricketer, the rest have retired long back. Interestingly, all four Aussie cricketers are from New South Wales and have led Australia at some point in their careers. 

5. Steve Smith

If modern-day cricket has a true batting genius, it has to be Steve Smith. He lives and breathes Test batting. From starting his career as a leg spinner to becoming the Australian batting's mainstay, he has come a long way. The 97-Test-old Smith is a class apart, who's still instilling fear in bowlers' minds even after a 13-year-old career. 

Till now, the Sydney-based batter has played 32 Tests against the arch-rivals, England. He has amassed 3,044 runs in 56 innings, which ranks fifth in all-time best batting performances in the coveted series. The last time, he visited England for Ashes right after Cricket World Cup 2019; he displayed one of the best test batting masterclasses ever. His 774 runs in just seven innings put Smith in the fifth position of most runs scored in a single Ashes. 

He averages close to 60 with 11 centuries and as many half-centuries for Australia. Even, Smith registered his best Test score of 239 during the Perth Test in 2017. But during the last Ashes at his home, he had a pretty ordinary outing with the bat. So, he's more keen and hungry this time to score the bulk of runs, and with the form he's in he can achieve that landmark.