Smith scales new heights with latest ton

Steve Smith's incredible Qantas Tour of India has continued after the Australia captain posted his third century of the series in the fourth Test in Dharamsala.

Smith scored his 20th Test hundred after lunch on day one at the picturesque HPCA Stadium with the Himalayas overlooking the venue that is hosting its first-ever Test.

Live coverage: India v Australia 4th Test

Winning a Test series in India is the equivalent of climbing Everest and Smith's third ton in four matches has given his charges every chance to conquer the monumental task.

Smith has done something no other Australian has managed before, and become just the second visiting captain to score three centuries in a Test series in India behind Ashes rival Alastair Cook, who peeled off a trio of hundreds in 2012, the last time India lost a Test series at home.

Only four other men have scored three centuries in a series in India, and none of them carrying the additional responsibility of captaincy like Smith and Cook: West Indies legends Everton Weekes in 1948-49 and Garfield Sobers in 1958-59, England's Ken Barrington in 1961-62, and South Africa's Hashim Amla in 2010. 

While Smith and the tourists are still a long way from sealing their first series win in the subcontinent since 2004, it's no coincidence Cook's efforts five years ago lead to a 2-1 upset win to the English.

The Indians, who are without the injured skipper Virat Kohli, threw everything they could think of at Smith to try to disrupt his prolific cadence of run-scoring.

In the fifth over the day recalled quick Bhuvneshwar Kumar went around the wicket to the Australian, which was then supported by express quick Umesh Yadav at the other end.

Five bowlers and countless field changes couldn't dislodge the determined right-hander which has former Australia captain Allan Border claiming Smith is in the heads of the hosts.

"He's got them rattled, there's no doubt about it," Border said on Fox Sports.

"They've tried different lines to him, they tried some around the wicket with the new ball, and nothing has worked.

"He's just got them totally rattled and they don't know what to do."

Only two players in the 140-year history of Test cricket have scored their first 20 Test centuries faster than Smith in terms of matches played.

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The incomparable Don Bradman knocked off Test match ton No.20 in just his 35th Test, while India legend Sunil Gavaskar reached the milestone in his 50th Test.

The world's No.1 Test batsman was rarely beaten in his 150-ball innings, stroking 12 boundaries after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Brad Haddin, Smith's former Test, NSW and Sydney Sixers teammate, said he was highly impressed by the patience and discipline of the 27-year-old.

"The best thing about him at the moment is his patience," Haddin said on Fox Sports.

"He knows India will break quicker than him and that's what he's playing on at the moment.

"(India) had opportunities with that new ball to make it uncomfortable but he outlasted them.

"It just goes to show you can't bowl a bad ball to him. At the start I didn't think they bowled too bad to him.

"But they bowled a couple of bad balls and, next thing you know he was 20 off 20."

Teammate Matthew Wade was in awe of his captain watching on from the sidelines.

"You look at the scoreboard and he’s on 50 (straight away) at the moment," Wade said after play.

"It looks that easy for him.

"It’s obviously not that easy for him when he’s out there, but from sitting off the ground it’s like he’s playing a different game for sure.

"He’s the best player in the world at the moment but he’s on track to be one of the greatest players Australia has ever seen."

Test Squads

India (for fourth Test): Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandaran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Karun Nair, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Mohammed Shami.

Australia: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Stephen O'Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade

Australia's schedule in India

Feb 23-27, First Test, Pune – Australia won by 333 runs.

Mar 4-8, Second Test, Bengaluru – India won by 75 runs.

Mar 16-20, Third Test, Ranchi – match drawn.

Mar 25-29, Fourth Test, Dharamsala