Australia vs Sri Lanka: Steve Smith Joins Elite Club with 10,000 Test Runs, Becomes Second-Fastest Australian to Reach Milestone

In a historic moment for Australian cricket, Steve Smith became the second-fastest Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs, achieving the milestone during the Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle. Smith reached the landmark in his 205th innings, placing him fifth on the all-time list of fastest players to the milestone. Among Australians, only Ricky Ponting achieved the feat quickly, doing so in 196 innings.

Smith’s journey to this achievement has been remarkable. After initially playing as a lower-order batter, he transitioned into a dominant middle-order mainstay from 2013 onwards. Between 2014 and 2020, he amassed an astonishing 6,257 runs in 100 consecutive innings at an average of 71.92, including 24 centuries. His ability to score big first-inning hundreds has been a defining trait of his career.

This milestone cements Smith’s status as one of the modern greats of Test cricket. With his unorthodox style and relentless consistency, he continues to be a vital figure for Australia, setting benchmarks for future generations of batters.

Fastest to 10,000 runs in Test cricket (number of innings)

195 – Brian Lara – Manchester, 2004 (vs England)
195 – Sachin Tendulkar – Kolkata, 2005 (vs Pakistan)
195 – Kumar Sangakkara – Melbourne, 2012 (vs Australia)
196 – Ricky Ponting – Antigua, 2008 (vs West Indies)
205 – Steve Smith – Galle, 2025 (vs Sri Lanka)
206 – Rahul Dravid – Chennai, 2008 (vs South Africa)

Fastest to 10,000 runs in Test cricket (number of matches)

111 – Brian Lara – Manchester, 2004 (vs England)
115 – Kumar Sangakkara – Melbourne, 2012 (vs Australia)
115 – Steve Smith – Galle, 2025 (vs Sri Lanka)
116 – Younis Khan – Jamaica, 2017 (vs West Indies)
118 – Ricky Ponting – Antigua, 2008 (vs West Indies)
118 – Joe Root – Lord’s, 2022 (vs New Zealand)