Promoted to No. 5, Pant played aggressively from the outset, and held his nerve to hit the winning runs as India reached 329 for 7. His knock included nine fours and a six as he stuck to his natural game in the high-pressure closing stages.
Smith, who is back in action after serving a one-year ban for his role in the ball-tampering scandal, has been made the leader of the team once again. The announcement was made ahead of Royals' clash against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur.
Smith's player of the match effort of 211 and 82 runs in the two innings has lifted him to 937 rating points, only 10 less than his all-time best aggregate achieved in December 2017.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Dharamsala, on Saturday.
Calls grow for action against Aus captain, Gavaskar, Laxman urge match referee's intervention
Disgraced former Australia captain Steve Smith has tied up with the local arm of Britain's Vodafone Group in an advertising campaign that leverages the nation's ball-tampering shame for marketing purposes.
"He could have avoided any contact but to me he is just as guilty. Trying some football skills to get a penalty??? Pity he didn't dive to top it off."
Hailing Virat Kohli as the "comeback king," former Indian opener Aakash Chopra said with his 'Player of the Tournament' performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup last year, Kohli "reinvented the wheel".
Wearing Australian colours for the first time since the ball-tampering scandal erupted in Cape Town in March, 2018, Steve Smith and David Warner were greeted warmly by a small crowd in Brisbane, where Aaron Finch's team took a one-wicket win.
Fitting the disgraced duo of Steve Smith and David Warner into Australia's World Cup squad will be "bloody hard" given the side's resurgence without them, according to captain Aaron Finch. Both Smith and Warner are eligible to return to the national side after their 12-month suspensions for ball-tampering ended on Thursday.
The Indian batters' inability to grind it out against a relentless Australian pace attack in testing conditions left the team precariously placed at 51/4 at the end of a rain-marred day three.
'This is like the Indian team not having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. It's a huge factor'
Steve Smith is a source of positivity for Australian vice-captain Mitchell Marsh
Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah saved India the blushes in the Brisbane Test with a resolute 10th wicket partnership but the rookie pacer on Sunday said his focus was on a wholesome contribution to the team rather than looking to "merely save the follow-on".
The Australia captain is at the top of the Test rankings for almost two years. His batting average of 62.32 is second only to Don Bradman.
A 'brain fade' moment led to Steven Smith seeking dressing advice for a DRS referral in the second Test against India and his word should be taken at face value, feels former Australia captain Steve Waugh.
R Ashwin is always up for a challenge and two days from his landmark 100th Test, India's premier off-spinner looked back at the on-field battles he has enjoyed in international and domestic cricket.
Smith scored 144 and 142 in Australia's 251-run win at Edgbaston in his comeback Test after being banned for a year for his involvement in the infamous ball tampering scandal in South Africa.
Banned Australian cricketer Steve Smith is likely to be welcomed back with open arms when he returns to club cricket in Sydney at the weekend.
'He could be a huge loss. However we've got Todd Murphy waiting in the wings. He's been bowling beautifully in the nets.'
Australian captain Steve Smith on Wednesday equalled the legendary Sir Donald Bradman and South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis' record of scoring four consecutive hundreds in a Test series.
Rajasthan Royals skipper Steve Smith wants to end his IPL 2019 campaign on a winning note against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 30 before leaving for home to prepare for the upcoming ODI World Cup.
Victory in the fourth Test at Old Trafford meant the Australians could not lose the series and the 2-2 scoreline meant they retained the urn.
Images from Day 1 of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Chris Rogers and Steve Smith plundered superb centuries to lead Australia to a commanding 337 for one on the first day of the second Ashes Test against England at Lord's on Thursday.
Australian captain Steve Smith was, on Saturday, ruled out of the Twenty20 series against India due to a shoulder injury, a massive setback for the already struggling visitors.
Mitchell Marsh won the prestigious Allan Border Medal at the 2024 Australian Cricket Awards
Harbhajan Singh may have been a thorn in the flesh for Australia in the past but current skipper Steve Smith ranks the off-spinner among his favourite Indian cricketers alongside Sachin Tendulkar.
Australian batsman Steve Smith reckons that with the Gabba track starting to play a few tricks, an engrossing final day is in store in the fourth and deciding Test against India.
Steve Smith is in the middle of a challenging phase as captain and he must define the way for the Australian team's comeback in the ongoing One-Day International series against India, feels his former skipper Michael Clarke.
Australia's mouthwatering clash with India sees the two behemoths of the modern game go head-to-head in five tests over six weeks with the tourists eyeing a third straight series triumph Down Under.
Gautam Gambhir termed sanctions imposed on Steve Smith and David Warner 'harsh' and raised questions whether the errant duo paid the price for revolting against Cricket Australia on pay hike issue.
'It'll be very much a battle again between the very good pace bowling attacks of both sides and how well the top order players of both sides can deal with the ball that will bounce, seam and probably swing a little bit more in the day-night game in Adelaide.'
A survivalist's mindset sees Indian batsmen fail again on the first day of the SCG Test.
The former Australia captain declined to name the players involved but reiterated that he had told them, "I don't want to know about it", and then walked away.
'I said before the game that if they bowl a lot at my head then they're not bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind the wicket. And I think that perhaps played into our favour a little bit in this innings'.
Australian players will not travel to Bangladesh for a two-test tour starting this month until the pay dispute between them and the sport's national governing body is resolved, captain Steve Smith said on Tuesday.
Steve Smith's joy at leading Australia to a Test series win over New Zealand that took them back to the top of the world rankings on Wednesday was tempered by the news he had been charged with dissent for his role in a confrontation with an umpire.
India captain Virat Kohli remained in second spot behind Steve Smith while Alastair Cook jumped nine places to be eighth in the latest ICC Test rankings after his unbeaten double century in the ongoing Ashes.
Cricket Australia will not reconsider reducing the ban on Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft in the ball-tampering case despite a series against a full-strength India awaiting them next month.
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