“The champ’s back.”

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They were the words of Australian great Mark Waugh as Steve Smith brought up Test century number 34; an innings that was just about as good as it gets.

Less than three weeks ago, questions of the superstar’s longevity were being asked after starting the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India with scores of 0, 17 and 2.

Preceding that, was a failed move to the top of the order to replace long-time teammate David Warner — where outside of a superb 90 not in which he carried his bat against the West Indies, he passed 12 just once from his remaining seven innings as an opener.

At 35 and nearly 18 months without a Test hundred, some feared that the end of nigh — perhaps as soon as this summer.

But now, not even two Tests on, he is among the most elite of Test batters, with only Sachin Tendulkar (51 centuries), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), Joe Root (36*), Rahul Dravid (36) hitting more hundreds at the level than him.

And if that perspective wasn’t jaw-dropping enough, he now sits equal with Brian Lara, Younis Khan, Sunil Gavaskar and Mahela Jayawardene on 34 tons.

Fresh off 101 in Brisbane, he went one better this Boxing Day to consecutive centuries across two matches for the first time in seven years — bringing up the monumental milestone with a textbook lean-and-punch through cover to the boundary.

It was gorgeous.

All his idiosyncrasies, all his control was on full display to the tens of thousands of fans who saw him bat across Day 1 and Day 2.

“One of his favourite shots he has often said is driving the ball back past the bowler and yesterday there were four or five of those shots down the ground. You know Steve Smith is in sync when that is happening,” former Australian spinner and Fox Cricket’s Kerry O’Keeffe said as Smith approached his hundred.

“That movement across the crease has got him going,” Waugh added a few balls after Smith reached triple figures.

It didn’t take long after notching up his hundred to flick the switch; no doubt helped by the support of captain Pat Cummins (49 runs) at the other end amid their 112-run partnership.

His fine knock ended just after lunch, as an inside edge onto his pad went rogue and dismantled only only of the two bails — seeing him depart the crease on 140 from 197 balls. As he had done so many times for Australia, he once again put his nation in the box seat to beat India.

Smith took a particular liking to rival seamer Mohammed Siraj across his two-day stay at the crease, dispatching him to all parts of the sporting Colosseum — none better than a brutal charge down the wicket to smack him through the off-side for four more.

Lap scoops off eight-Test off-spinner Washington Sundar quickly followed, as did dismissive slog sweeps off the more experienced Ravindra Jadeja.

And additionally, he hit three sixes for only the third time in his 113-Test career; a very positive sign after a lean patch with both runs and strike rate.

It was extremely fitting for Smith to reach the coveted 34th hundred at the MCG; a place where he has now tonned up five times — more than any other ground in the world at Test level.

“The MCG to Steve Smith is like Roland Garros to Rafael Nadal,” O’Keeffe said.

“This guy, this is his backyard. He has four Test centuries here and his average is in the 80’s at the G.”

It eclipses his four tons at each of the now-retired WACA, the Gabba and SCG — while he has hit three at The Oval in London; evidently a personal favourite ground of his internationally.

There’s no denying that Smith doesn’t just hit red-ball hundreds for fun; he does it for fun against the best opposition in world cricket.

11 times has he terrorised India at Test level with a three-figure score; nearly one-third of all his centuries in the format. No batter in cricketing history has ever done that.

He makes a hundred once in less than every four innings agains the country.

The statistics, numbers and everything in between make for eye-watering reading. In fact, in some ways it’s almost too much to comprehend.

But these last two Tests — and especially this Boxing Day special — is a stark reminder as to why he isn’t just one of the game’s greats, he’s one of the sport’s legends.