Steve Smith's status as the best Test batsman in the world won't be called into question soon if the International Cricket Council's rankings are any guide.
Smith has entrenched himself atop the ICC's Test batting rankings and former skipper Greg Chappell senses his modern-day successor is still improving.
Smith was the only batsman from either side to score a hundred in the Ashes opener at the Gabba, where England almost instantly went into containment mode while bowling to the world's top-ranked batsman.
The classy right-hander finished 141 not out in Australia's first innings of the series, earning man-of-the-match honours plus plenty of praise.
Smith's 21st Test century resulted in him rising to 941 rankings points on the ICC's charts.
Another bright performance in the inaugural day-night Ashes Test that starts in Adelaide on Saturday could bring Smith closer to Don Bradman's career-best mark of 961 points.
Bradman, Len Hutton (945), Jack Hobbs (942) and Ricky Ponting (942) are the only Test batsmen to have boasted a higher number of rankings points.
"His self management is exceptional, the way he dealt with the plans England threw at him the other day just showed great maturity and great skill," Chappell told radio station SEN.
"Who knows where he could finish up? You would expect him to get better from here.
"At 28 years of age he's just coming into his prime - it'll be very interesting to see where he does get to because he's leaving everyone for dead."
Chappell and Ponting, widely considered two of Australia's best batsmen since Bradman, have both applauded Smith this week.
Ponting, who scored 41 Test hundreds for Australia, suggested Smith could soon better that mark and become the greatest batsman of the modern era.
Smith's English counterpart Joe Root slipped to third on the ICC's latest rankings update, with India's Cheteshwar Pujara taking second spot on the table.
Smith is 53 points above Pujara on the rankings.
ICC TEST BATTING RANKINGS: 1) Steve Smith (941 points) 2) Cheteshwar Pujara (888) 3) Joe Root (881) 4) Kane Williamson (880) 5) Virat Kohli (877) 6) David Warner (826)
