Smith Celebrates 10,000 Test Runs Achievement
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Synopsis
On January 29, Steve Smith became the fourth Australian cricketer to reach the landmark of 10,000 runs in Test cricket during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka. He expressed satisfaction at achieving this milestone with a flick off Prabath Jayasuriya, joining an elite group of cricket legends.
Key Takeaways
- Steve Smith reaches 10,000 Test runs.
- Fourth Australian to achieve this milestone.
- Joined by cricket legends like Ricky Ponting.
- Achieved in just 205 innings, fifth-fastest in history.
- Allan Border praises Smith's unique style.
Galle, Jan 29 (NationPress) After becoming the fourth Australian to surpass the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket on the opening day of the Galle Test against Sri Lanka, Steve Smith expressed that it felt “nice to tick that off” with a flick wide of mid-on off Prabath Jayasuriya.
Smith joins the ranks of legends Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh in this distinguished club, achieving the milestone in merely 205 innings – making it the fifth-fastest in Test history.
“Nice to tick that off,” Smith told official broadcaster Channel Seven just before lunch.
Allan Border, one of the players Smith now shares this achievement with, praised his dedication and distinctive style. “He’s not the sort of player you’d advise your son to emulate in terms of technique, but it has worked for him, which shows you know your game. He has executed it exceptionally well. There are more aesthetically pleasing players, but few can match that record,” Border was quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Border further compared Smith to the legends of cricket, stating, “I’m a massive fan of (Sachin) Tendulkar and (Brian) Lara – they were outstanding cricketers, but Steve is undoubtedly among that elite group, for sure.”
The interim captain became the fourth Australian to reach the remarkable milestone of 10,000 Test runs and the overall 15th player in history to accomplish this feat.
Smith has amassed his runs at an impressive average of over 55, with Kumar Sangakkara being the only batter surpassing the 10,000 mark with a superior average (57.40). Among current players, only Joe Root's count of 12,972 Test runs exceeds Smith's.
Having missed his dream moment in front of his home crowd at the SCG against India when he was dismissed at 9,999 runs, Smith achieved his 10,000th run on the very first ball he faced on Wednesday.
The right-handed batsman came to bat at 137/2 in the opening session and struck a single to mid-on off Prabath Jayasuriya, drawing applause from the audience, before sharing a heartfelt hug with his batting partner, Usman Khawaja.
