Janith Liyanage: Steve Smith Joins 10,000 Run Club
With his remarkable achievement, Smith solidifies his position as one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket history, and his future performances will be closely watched by cricket fans around the world. His ability to maintain a high average and score centuries consistently will be crucial in determining his place among the all-time greats.
Steve Smith has achieved a remarkable milestone in Test cricket, becoming the 15th batsman to join the exclusive 10,000 run club after hitting his 35th century against Sri Lanka, making him the fourth Australian to achieve this feat.
Smith's entry into the club comes after he fell short of reaching 10,000 runs in front of his home crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He is now among the likes of Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting, who have also achieved this impressive milestone. Smith is the fifth fastest to reach 10,000 runs in terms of innings batted, with 205 innings, behind Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record for the most runs and centuries.
The comparison of the four Australians who have achieved the milestone reveals that each had a distinct style of play. Border was known for his consistency, while Waugh improved his performance after a slow start. Smith hit his peak around his 75th match, while Ponting peaked around his 115th match. Smith's high strike rate of 53.58 and his century per innings rate of 17.48% make him one of the most impressive batsmen in the 10K club.
As Smith continues to play, there is a possibility that he may end up with the best average in the club, with his current average of 56.74 being higher than Sangakkara's 57.4. However, surpassing Ponting's record may take him at least three to four years, and reaching Tendulkar's mark seems unlikely due to his year-long ban after the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
