The opening day of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia saw a man, who had fallen from grace only a year back, personifying the age-old saying of "Cometh the hour, cometh the man." Former Australian skipper Steve Smith, who was stripped out of captaincy and was banned for almost a year for the murky ball-tampering episode, has made a sensational comeback to Test cricket with a breath-taking innings of 144 at Edgbaston on Thursday.

The 30-year-old Australian batsman ended his 18-month exile from Test cricket in style as his defiant century in a crisis situation came as redemption and helped him regain the hero's status in the eyes of Australian cricket fans.

Smith, along with his former vice captain David Warner and teammate and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft, who too were banned for their respective roles in last year's disgraceful sandpaper gate saga, received a hostile welcome by the partisan Edgbaston crowd and were taunted and jeered by the home supporters when Australia batted first on the opening day.

However, it was Smith's magnificent 144 that salvaged his jittery side from a position of peril to the safety of 284 all out.

The inspirational innings helped the Australian middle-order mainstay bury the ghost of his previous Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town last year. He was stripped of the captaincy and handed a 12-month ban by Cricket Australia after Bancroft was caught on camera attempting to change the condition of the ball with sandpaper during that fateful Test in March 2018. Smith, along with Warner and Bancroft were sent home in the middle of the series to face an angry public after the shocking revelations of a plot to alter the ball's condition with sandpaper.

"I didn't really know what to do (when I reached the century) to be honest, this has been a long time coming," a visibly relieved Smith said after the day's play.

"I am lost for words. I am really proud that I was able to pull the team out of trouble. It has got to be one of my best 100s," the man added while addressing the media after his heroics.

Smith also mentioned: "There were times throughout the last 15 months where I didn't know if I was going to play cricket again. I lost a bit of love for the game."

Earlier, on Thursday morning, the Baggy Greens were reduced for a disastrous 122-8 before Smith anchored the rescue mission before the hosts saw out two overs unscathed at Edgbaston at stumps on Day 1.

Incidentally, the other two "tainted" cricketers, Warner was out for two before Bancroft fell for 8 in front of a fiery English pace attack as the Aussies plunged into a seemingly hopeless situation.

Supported by a gritty 44 from tail-ender Peter Siddle, Smith's spectacular resistance kept the England bowlers at bay and gave the Aussies some breathing space in the crucial opening Test.

"He has played beautifully, there's no doubt about that... for us to win this Ashes series, we're going to have to get him out early," England bowler Stuart Broad, who eventually dismissed Smith on the day, said about the man on a redemption mission.

Incidentally, Smith had tormented England with 687 runs in the previous Ashes series in 2017-18 at a Bradmanesque average of 137.40.

(Cover photo via VCG)