Modern Master Steve Smith Completes 10,000-run mark in Tests Cricket

Galle (Sri Lanka) January 29: The first Sri Lanka vs Australia Test match in Galle was a much-awaited one for stand-in captain Steven Smith, as he entered the series on 9999 Test runs and on the precipice of becoming only the fourth Australian batter to score 10,000 runs in the format.  

He finally achieved the feat right before lunch was called on day one of the Test match, easily knocking Prabath Jayasuriya towards long-on for a single to bring up the milestone. Smith acknowledged the crowd and his teammates with a raise of the bat. Smith was then dropped on the third ball of his innings, surviving to see his team through to lunch after a fast start was provided by Travis Head, who continues to adapt as per the team’s requirements by opening the batting in Asia.

Smith also becomes the fifth-fastest cricketer to reach the mark in terms of innings, having achieved it in 205 innings. Ricky Ponting remains the fastest Australian, having taken 196 innings, while a remarkable three batters took exactly 195 innings to reach the mark — Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, and Brian Lara.

Smith was also one innings faster than Rahul Dravid, who had taken 206 innings to reach the mark. Smith follows Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh as the Australian batters to score over 10,000 Test runs.

Previously, Smith was dismissed twice in the 9990s, becoming one of the few big-name cricketers to be dismissed in that particular subset of runs just short of the five-digit mark. He also followed in the footsteps of Brian Lara as becoming the second cricketer to be dismissed in the 9990s twice.

During the final Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney, at his home ground and with friends and family in attendance, Smith had fallen twice in the 9990s, including being dismissed on 9999 runs when the stadium waited in anticipation of the milestone.

Smith had later admitted that the milestone slightly played on his nerves and mind a little bit, which might have contributed to a slight loss of focus as he approached the mark. However, Smith made no mistakes in Galle, requiring only one ball to achieve this tremendous feat.

Smith also reached his 50 in the post-lunch session in quick time, continuing the strong form he had developed towards the end of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.