The Ashes: Steve Smith hurts England with a 13th Ashes hundred in Sydney to add further to his legend

"He has hurt England so often," Sky Sports' Michael Atherton said after Steve Smith's latest Ashes century, his 13th.

And England fans may have to steel themselves to spend yet more time watching Smith and all of his eccentricities at the crease - and not just into day four of this fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, where he sits 129 not out overnight.

Rumours of a potential retirement alongside Usman Khawaja were rejected prior to this Test, Smith telling reporters: "It's a shame he's gone, now I'm the oldest one here.

"I want to keep playing, I'm still enjoying it. We've got a really good team.

"I've said for a while I'm taking it day by day, series by series and we'll see where things land.

"I feel like I'm doing alright at the moment, I'm contributing and having fun so there's no real end date for me."

If he were to, much like Root and his pursuit of Sachin Tendulkar's record haul of Test runs and centuries, Smith would go on in search of greatness, specifically with regard to his Ashes record.

Smith's 37th Test hundred, delivered with such certainty on the third afternoon in Sydney, was his 13th in Ashes cricket and took him clear of Jack Hobbs' tally among run-getters in cricket's greatest rivalry, second only to the legendary Don Bradman.