Steve Smith joins test cricket’s 10,000-run club
Steve Smith has officially entered Test cricket’s exclusive 10,000-run club on the 29th of January 2025, becoming the fourth Australian player after Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting. He reached the milestone in style, scoring his 35th century in the first Test series against Sri Lanka.
Smith is the 15th player in history to achieve this feat. Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar leads the club with 15,921 runs, followed by Ponting (13,378) and Jacques Kallis (13,289). Smith reached the 10,000-run mark in just 205 innings, making him the fifth-fastest to accomplish the feat.
Can Smith surpass the greats?
Despite his success, surpassing Tendulkar’s record seems unlikely for Smith. At 35, Smith faces the physical and mental challenges of modern cricket, which has seen many players’ careers cut short. His 2018 suspension also cost him a year of valuable playing time.
However, Smith has a chance to retire with the highest batting average in the 10K club. His current average of 56.74 is just behind Kumar Sangakkara’s 57.4. With his recent strong performances, Smith’s legacy as one of the game’s greatest batsmen is already secure.
