 "Steve Smith celebrates scoring his century on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka. AP")
Australia’s Steve Smith made history on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday. He not only crossed the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket but also registered his 35th Test century, solidifying his place among the game’s elite batters.
Steve Smith achieves multiple records in a single day
Steve Smith ’s journey to 10,000 Test runs was marked by a milestone single, followed by a flawless knock that ended with him celebrating his 35th century in his 205th innings. This achievement puts him third on the all-time list for innings to reach 35 centuries, only behind Ricky Ponting (195 innings) and Sachin Tendulkar (200 innings).
In the process, Smith became just the seventh player in history to notch 35 Test centuries, joining the ranks of cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), Rahul Dravid (36), and Joe Root (36). His remarkable consistency and ability to dominate in the longest format have made him one of the modern greats of the game.
Smith’s knock was especially important as it came after a solid partnership with opening batsman Usman Khawaja, who also provided significant support at the crease. His performance on Wednesday has further added to his growing list of records, with his Test average as captain remaining impressively above 68, a figure only surpassed by the legendary Don Bradman, who averaged over 101 among captains with at least 3000 Test runs.
Not only did Steve Smith break personal records, but he also cemented his place in Australian cricket history by becoming the fourth Aussie batter after Allan Border, Mark Waugh, and Ricky Ponting to surpass the 10,000-run milestone. Smith is also the fifth-fastest to reach the mark, behind only Brian Lara (195 innings), Sachin Tendulkar (195), Kumar Sangakkara (195) and Ricky Ponting (196).
With his 35th century and a spot in the 10,000-run club, Steve Smith continues to carve out his legacy as one of the most prolific and consistent Test batters in modern cricket.