In a landmark achievement for Australian cricket, stand-in skipper Steve Smith finally breached the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket during Day 1 of the first Test match against Sri Lanka. Smith also registered his 35th Test century, with 17 of those coming away from home, thereby surpassing Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli in the list of batters with the most away centuries in Test cricket.
Kohli previously held the top spot with 16 away tons, but Smith claimed the title on Wednesday.
Missing the chance to reach the mark during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in his home city of Sydney, Smith achieved the feat in Galle, Sri Lanka, with his signature flick shot toward mid-on, prompting applause from the Australian team.
Smith moved the score to 137/2 with the milestone run as Australia continued their strong start after winning the toss and electing to bat.
A Celebrated Career Milestone The 35-year-old joins elite company, becoming the fourth Australian to breach the 10,000-run mark after Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting. Smith has maintained an impressive batting average of over 55 throughout his career.
Ponting, speaking on Smith’s feat, remarked, “Is he the best player of his generation? It’s hard to argue against it. Joe Root and Kane Williamson also have outstanding records, but Smith’s numbers make a strong case.”
Statistics and Records Smith became the fifth-fastest batter by innings to reach the milestone of 10,000 Test runs. His consistent performance has led cricket analysts and enthusiasts to regard him as one of the most reliable and skilled Test cricketers of his generation.
Reaction from the Cricketing World Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting commented on Smith’s dominance, emphasizing his prolific run-scoring ability and consistency. “Five or six years ago, when the ‘Fab Four’ emerged with Kohli, Root, and Williamson, Smith was perhaps at the top. His numbers speak volumes about his greatness,” Ponting added.
With his latest achievement, Smith has added yet another accolade to his celebrated career, further solidifying his position as one of the all-time Test cricket greats.
