Picture Credit: X

Picture Credit: X

On Wednesday, January 29, Australia’s veteran batter and stand-in skipper for the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, Steven Smith etched his name in record books as he completed 10,000 Test runs. For the unversed, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.

Coming out to bat when the Aussie scorecard read 135/2 after 30 overs on the opening day, Smith reached the historic milestone with a simple single. With this historic feat, he also became the second-fastest and fourth Australian to reach the benchmark. He joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Brain Lara in the elite list, aged 35.

Steve Smith becomes only 15th player in Test cricket history to surpass 10,000-run mark

Moreover, the Aussie middle-order batter became only the 15th player in the Test cricket history to surpass the 10,000-run mark and the fourth Australian after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. The veteran breached the five-digit score in his 115th Test and 205th innings, making him the third fastest player to achieve this feat. Ahead of him sits Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara after all of them reached this landmark in 195 innings.

Steve Smith surpasses legendary Sunil Gavaskar with his 35th Test century

Coming back to the first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia, after opener Usman Khawaja ended his century drought, playing a crucial 147* run knock off 210 deliveries at stumps on the opening day, Steven Smith also scored a crucial ton, adding 104* runs off 188 deliveries. With a century knock, Smith completed his 35th Test ton, going past legendary Sunil Gavaskar.

With an unbeaten 104, he now sits seventh in the list of most centuries in Test cricket after Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkar (38), Joe Root (36) and Rahul Dravid (36). Talking about the active cricketers, he is just behind Joe Root, who has 36 Test hundreds to his name.