Steve Smith surpasses Gavaskar, Lara, and Younis Khan in Test century tally

Australia’s Steve Smith etched his name further into cricketing history as he surpassed legendary players Sunil Gavaskar, Younis Khan, Brian Lara, and Mahela Jayawardene in the list of most Test centuries. The milestone came during the opening Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, where the Australian star not only notched up his 35th Test hundred but also crossed the 10,000-run mark in the longest format of the game.

Smith reached the 10,000-run milestone early in his innings, flicking a single to bring up the landmark. Unlike his previous Test outing in Sydney, where he was left stranded on 9,999 runs by Prasidh Krishna, this time he ensured there were no hiccups. As soon as he reached the feat, Smith took a moment to soak in the applause from the traveling Australian supporters in Galle, acknowledging the achievement by raising his bat to all corners of the ground.

Soon after, Smith had a stroke of luck when Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya dropped a catch, giving him a lifeline. Making full use of the opportunity, he played with determination and class to bring up his 35th Test century, surpassing Gavaskar, Younis, Lara, and Jayawardene, all of whom had finished their careers with 34 Test tons.

The hundred not only cemented Smith’s position among the all-time greats but also made him the seventh-highest century scorer in Test cricket. Among Australians, he now stands second only to Ricky Ponting, who leads the list with 41 Test centuries.

Finishing unbeaten on 104 off 188 balls, Smith’s innings was a key part of a dominant 195-run partnership with Usman Khawaja, who also played a magnificent knock of 147* off 210 balls. Smith’s innings included 10 fours and a six, underlining his ability to build big scores in the longest format.

With 10,103 runs in 115 Test matches at an average of 56.44, Smith has become only the fourth Australian to reach the 10,000-run mark in Tests, joining an elite club featuring Ricky Ponting (13,378), Allan Border (11,174), and Steve Waugh (10,927). Overall, he is the 15th player in cricket history to achieve the milestone.