Australia’s Steve Joins Cricket Greats with 10,000 Test Runs

AFP/APP

Galle: Australia’s Steve Smith became the 15th player in cricket history to reach 10,000 Test runs during the opening Test against Sri Lanka.

Starting the match on 9,999 runs, Smith took his first ball and nudged a single off Prabath Jayasuriya in Galle to achieve the milestone, becoming only the fourth Australian to do so. He raised his bat to acknowledge the applause from the crowd, saying, “Fortunately hit that one in the gap so nice to get that one away. Nice to tick that off.”

Smith joins the ranks of fellow Australians Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh, as well as the legendary Sachin Tendulkar of India, who leads with 15,921 Test runs.

The 35-year-old stand-in skipper, who was captaining in place of Pat Cummins (who opted out due to the birth of his second child), ended the day on 104 not out, his third century in four matches. He guided Australia to 330-2, partnering in a 195-run unbeaten stand with Usman Khawaja, who scored 147.

Khawaja, reflecting on the partnership, said, “I think I have scored more runs than anyone else batting alongside Smith,” and shared an emotional moment when Smith fell short of the milestone in the previous Test against India.

Smith, who started his career as a leg-spinner batting at number eight, now boasts 35 centuries across 115 Test matches since his debut in 2010, averaging over 55. He is widely regarded as one of the modern-day greats, alongside other cricketing icons such as Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root.