Australian batsman Steven Smith welcomed a successful return to Test cricket on day one of the opening Ashes series opener at Edgbatson in Birmingham on Thursday.

Smith, who completed a ban for ball-tampering and underwent elbow surgery earlier this year, struck a superb 144 in Australia’s final total of 287 all out.

This Test is former captain Smith’s first since March 2018. The Test century is his first since December 2017’s 102 not out against England in Melbourne.

‘There were times throughout the last 15 months where I didn’t know if I was ever going to play cricket again. I lost a bit of love for it at one point, particularly when I had my elbow operation,’ he said.

‘It was really bizarre that it was the day I got the brace off my elbow, I found a love for it again. I don’t know what it was, it was like a trigger that just said, “right I’m ready to go again, I want to play and I want to go out and play for Australia and make people proud and just do what I love doing”.’

‘I’ve never had those feelings ever before, I didn’t have a great love for the game, it was there for a little while and fortunately that love has come back.’

Thursday’s century marked Smith’s 24th in Test cricket. He has nine and seven against England and India, respectively, and two each versus New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies. The talented right-hander has collected one each against Sri Lanka and South Africa.

‘This has got to be one of my best centuries. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m sort of lost for words, just really proud that I was able to help pull the team out of a bit of trouble,’ he added.

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