Australia’s Steve Smith notched up his 35th Test century on Day 1 of the ongoing match against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Wednesday, January 29. With this milestone, he surpassed cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Younis Khan, who both ended their careers with 34 Test hundreds.
Smith reached the landmark in the 78th over of Australia’s first innings off off-spinner Nishan Peiris. He guided a length delivery through the covers, and despite the slow outfield, he and Usman Khawaja managed to run three, securing Smith’s century.
You can watch the video here:
https://x.com/7cricket/status/1884552117072834645?s=46
The New South Wales batter has now registered three centuries in his last four Tests, including ones in Brisbane and Melbourne against India. Among active players, Smith ranks second in Test centuries, trailing only Joe Root, who has 36.
Smith, Khawaja Hit Unbeaten Tons as Australia Reach 330 on Day 1 in Galle
Smith and Khawaja, two experienced Test batters, put on a brilliant, unbroken 195-run stand by stumps on Day 1 of the first Test in the two-match series. They came together after Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed cheaply for 20, leaving Australia in a cautious position.
The duo played with positive intent and remarkable composure, making scoring look surprisingly comfortable on a challenging, spin-friendly pitch against Prabath Jayasuriya, Nishan Peiris, and Jeffrey Vandersay.
However, persistent drizzle in Galle forced the umpires to halt play after just 81.1 overs, preventing further progress. Jayasuriya and Vandersay claimed the wickets of Travis Head (57) and Labuschagne (20), but the day firmly belonged to Australia, who will aim to bat Sri Lanka out of the contest.
Earlier, stand-in captain Smith won the toss and chose to bat. The 35-year-old, who also reached 10,000 Test runs, will be pleased with Australia’s dominant position. Smith (104*) and Khawaja (147*) will resume on Day 2 with Australia well-placed at 330/2.
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