Steve Smith knows how to stand up when the pressure is on.
And in front of a packed MCG crowd on the second day of the Boxing Day Test, he had no choice but to put on a show for all those in attendance.
Notching up his 34th Test century, Smith went on to make 140 off 197 deliveries, headlined by 16 boundaries.
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"Steve Smith loves the MCG and the MCG loves Steve Smith," Howard said on Fox as Smith brought up his ton.
"A glorious stroke to bring up a glorious hundred."
"The champ is back," Mark Waugh added.
A serious Smith nodded his head as he acknowledged the crowd when he reached the milestone, making that two Test tons in two matches.
Smith continued through until lunch and looked dominant at the crease, before his innings finally came to an end in bizarre fashion.
The right-hander charged down the wicket to Akash Deep, but inside-edged the ball into the pitch before it rolled slowly back onto the stumps.
"It was an agonising watch, it just trickled back," Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket.
"That is one of the more extraordinary dismissals. He was helpless to try and stop it."
Steve Smith is dismissed at the MCG. Fox Cricket
Smith was left stunned as he walked off the MCG to a chorus of cheers – but despite the heartbreaking ending, now joins some elite company.
Only the great Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), Joe Root (36*) and Rahul Dravid (36) have hit more Test tons.
His 34th triple-figure score at this level now puts him equal with Brian Lara, Sunil Gavaskar, Younis Khan and Mahela Jayawardene.
Of Smith's 34 tons, 12 have been against England and 11 have come when facing India.