Steve Smith hailed as ‘the player of his generation’ as the stand-in Australia captain finally completes ‘magnificent achievement’

After agonisingly missing out on scoring his 10,000th run during the final Test of the Border Gavaskar series this mont, Steve Smith stepped out to bat in Galle this afternoon and finally surpassed the milestone on the first delivery he faced.

The milestone means he has now joined some of the world’s greatest cricketers to have scored 10,000 Test runs, with the stand-in captain joining Australians Ricky Ponting, Allan Border and Steve Waugh to have achieved the feat.

Only 15 players worldwide have gone on to reach the epic milestone, with Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Joe Root also some of the names in that illustrious club.

While Sachin Tendulkar was the first to ever hit 10,000 Test runs back in 2005, Smith is the fastest player to have reached the landmark career score, doing so in 205 innings. 

The 35-year-old has been praised by many from around the cricket community, with one Channel 7 commentator hailing the New South Wales batsman as the ‘player of his generation.’

Ponting also lumped praise on the Aussie batter, stating to Channel 7: ‘I thought he might try to get it off the first ball he faced.

‘This is a moment in cricketing history, isn’t it? Steve Smith, 10,000 Test runs.

‘Might’ve been a slightly grander stage if it was brought up a couple of weeks ago in front of his home crowd at the SCG but you look around this ground in Galle, there are a lot of Aussies there that have flown out just to witness that moment.’

‘Fantastic, magnificent achievement.’

Speaking on his one-run moment, Smith said he didn’t waste any time in getting off the mark.

He told 7 Cricket: ‘No, fortunately, I hit that one in the gap so nice to get that one away.’

Pressed on whether he felt relieved or emotional about the feat, he added: ‘Nothing right now I’m just trying to focus on batting. But nice to tick that off.

Prior to the first Test, Smith had claimed that he perhaps had been thinking too much about reaching the milestone at the SCG earlier this month.

‘I probably thought about that a little bit too much in Sydney,’ he said.

‘Of course, it would have been great in front of all my friends and family but to do it here will be cool as well.

‘It’ll be pretty cool — I’ve never really been one for milestones but to tick off 10,000 with those guys, that’ll be pretty special.’

Fans on social media have also lumped praise on the Aussie great, with one writing on X: ‘Truly one of the modern greats! Take a bow indeed, Steve.’

Smith raised his bat as he received a round of applause from fans around the ground, he had but his heart was in his mouth a few moments later with Smith being dropped in front of the stumps by Sri Lanka spinner Sanath Jayasuriya. 

Australia got off to a great start in the first innings of the opening Test, with Usman Khawaja smashing his way to his first Test century since his 141 at Edgebaston against England in 2023. 

There was more woe for Marnus Labuschagne following his underwhelming performances during the Border Gavaskar series, with the Queensland batter being dismissed for 20 runs having replaced opener Travis Head, who was caught out for 57. 

More to follow…