Steve Smith joins elite list after achieving historic Test milestone

Star Australian batter Steve Smith has etched his name in the record books, becoming the 15th player in Test cricket history to score 10,000 runs.

Smith achieved this remarkable feat during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday, joining an elite group of Australian legends, including Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh. Overall, Smith is the fifth-fastest batter to reach 10,000 runs, with Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Kumar Sangakkara leading the list at 195 innings.

Smith reached the milestone with a single to mid-on off left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya in his 205th Test innings, becoming the second-fastest Australian to achieve this feat, behind Ponting. With an impressive average of 55.86 across 114 prior Tests, Smith has cemented his position as one of the most prolific Test batters of his generation.

The 35-year-old, who has overcome a year-long international cricket ban due to the 2018 ball-tampering suspension, is now part of an exclusive club, alongside other modern-day batting greats, including Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root.

With his career still ongoing, Smith is expected to surpass notable players like Younis Khan and Sunil Gavaskar, and potentially challenge Steve Waugh’s tally to become Australia’s third-highest Test run-scorer by the end of this year.