[Watch] Steve Smith left stunned as he falls in freak manner on Day 2 of BGT 2024-25 4th Test

Veteran Australia batter Steve Smith was dismissed in arguably the most bizarre manner possible on Day 2 (Friday, December 27) of the Boxing Day Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As Smith went for a big shot, the ball hit the inside edge of his bat and body before rolling toward the stumps, only for one of the bails to fall.

The dismissal occurred in the second over after Lunch, as the 35-year-old danced down the track to flay the ball through extra cover. However, all the former Aussie captain managed was an inside edge as the ball slowly dribbled onto the stumps, with the star batter helplessly watching. With Akash Deep celebrating his second wicket of the innings, the veteran batter was down on his hunches as he had to walk back after scoring 140.

The right-arm seamer had beaten Smith's bat on several occasions in the previous Border-Gavaskar series 2024-25 Test at The Gabba in Brisbane and on Day 1 at the MCG. The Bihar-born cricketer also dismissed Alex Carey on the opening day in Melbourne.

Steve Smith goes past Joe Root to create a unique record against India

Steve Smith. (Image Credits: Getty)

Meanwhile, the New South Welshman scored his 11th Test hundred against India, going past England's Joe Root for the most tons in the format against the Men in Blue. The right-hander got to his 34th Test century off a sumptuous cover drive off Nitish Kumar Reddy, as the home side asserted their dominance on the second morning of the fourth Test.

The vice-captain combined to add over 100 runs with his skipper Pat Cummins, who also chipped in with a composed 49 before Ravindra Jadeja dismissed him. Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test saw Cummins win the toss and elect to bat, as their top three — Sam Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), and Marnus Labuschagne (72) — scored half-centuries.

However, India staged a fightback after Labuschagne's wicket, as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh cheaply.

Yet, the hosts finished at 311/6 on Day 1 at Stumps.