Australia's star batter and stand-in captain, Steve Smith, made history by reaching 10,000 Test runs during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on January 29. This achievement has earned him the title of the second-fastest Australian to accomplish this milestone. Smith completed the milestone by taking a single while the crowd acknowledged it with a standing ovation and applause from the hosting players. Watch the video here: There it is!Steve Smith is the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs 🙌#SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/06FLk8iqMI — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 29, 2025 Smith completed the 10,000 runs while he was batting at 58, thus becoming the 15th player to cross the mark and the fourth Australian player to do so. The Aussie list was so far decorated with names like Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ponting. He achieved the milestone in only 115 Tests and 205 innings, making him the third-fastest player to do so. The record for the fastest remains a three-way tie between Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kumar Sangakkara, who each reached the 10,000-run mark in 195 innings. Steve Smith’s Journey to 10,000 Test Runs: A Tale of Resilience and Leadership Steve Smith’s Test career began in 2010 against Pakistan at Lord’s, though his debut was underwhelming with just 13 runs in total (1 and 12). Over the years, however, Smith has evolved into one of Australia’s most reliable and prolific Test batsmen. His consistency has been extraordinary, and with 34 Test centuries, he ranks second on the list of Australians with the most hundreds, behind Ricky Ponting, who scored 41. In the absence of regular captain Pat Cummins, who is on paternity leave and recovering from minor injuries, Smith has assumed leadership duties. His role as both captain and key batter is vital as Australia seeks to secure a strong performance against Sri Lanka and build momentum ahead of the World Test Championship Final against South Africa.