Steve Smith etches his name in record books after second consecutive Test century in Sri Lanka
Published - 07 Feb 2025, 04:51 PM | Updated - 07 Feb 2025, 11:35 PM
Star Australia batter Steve Smith has etched his name into the record books on Day 2 of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday, February 7. Steve Smith continued his remarkable form by scoring his 36th Test century, solidifying his position as one of the top performers in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka was bowled out for 257 in 97.4 overs after wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis added crucial late runs. Resuming at 229/9, Mendis (85) and tailender Lahiru Kumara frustrated the Australians by adding 28 more runs. Matthew Kuhnemann dismissed Kumara, who edged a catch to Beau Webster at second slip.
Steve Smith Becomes the Second-Fastest Player to Reach 36 Test Centuries
Smith showcased his mastery against the Sri Lankan attack on a spin-friendly pitch, reaching his century in 191 balls. Smith formed an unbeaten century partnership with Alex Carey for the fourth wicket in the first innings. This was Smith’s seventh Test century in Asia, the most by any Australian batter.
The 36-year-old batter leveled Joe Root and Rahul Dravid's tally of 36 Test centuries. He reached this milestone in 206 innings, becoming the second-fastest player. Only Ricky Ponting (200 innings) did it faster. Kumar Sangakkara (210 innings) and Sachin Tendulkar (218 innings) are next on the list.
Fewest Innings to Reach 36 Test Centuries
| Innings | Player |
|---|---|
| 200 | Ricky Ponting |
| 206 | Steven Smith* |
| 210 | Kumar Sangakkara |
| 218 | Sachin Tendulkar |
| 239 | Jacques Kallis |
| 276 | Joe Root |
| 276 | Rahul Dravid |
Most Hundreds in Tests:
| Player | Team | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 200 | 15921 | 53.78 | 51 | 68 |
| Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 166 | 13289 | 55.37 | 45 | 58 |
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | 168 | 13378 | 51.85 | 41 | 62 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 134 | 12400 | 57.40 | 38 | 52 |
| Rahul Dravid | India | 164 | 13288 | 52.31 | 36 | 63 |
| Joe Root | England | 152 | 12972 | 50.87 | 36 | 65 |
| Steve Smith | Australia | 116* | 10244 | 56.91 | 36 | 41 |
Steve Smith Joins Elite List of Visiting Batters with Most Test Centuries in Sri Lanka
Steve Smith's knock in Sri Lanka has placed him among the top visiting batters with the most Test centuries. He has scored four centuries, just one behind Sachin Tendulkar, who has five. Shikhar Dhawan, Brian Lara, Cheteshwar Pujara, Joe Root, and Virender Sehwag are among those with three centuries.
Most Test Centuries in Sri Lanka by Visiting Batters:
| Centuries | Player |
|---|---|
| 5 | Sachin Tendulkar |
| 4 | Steve Smith* |
| 3 | Azhar, Dhawan, Lara, Ashraful, Pujara, Root, Sehwag, Younis |
Australia's Innings Off to a Strong Start in the First Innings
Earlier, Australia's innings got off to a strong start with openers Travis Head and Usman Khawaja. However, spinner Nishan Peiris removed Head for 21. Prabath Jayasuriya dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 4 in the next over, after a successful review by Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva.
Khawaja and Smith added 54 runs for the third-wicket partnership. The left-handed batter was dismissed for 36, as Peiris bowled a delivery that trapped him on the knee-roll. Wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey was promoted in the batting order ahead of Josh Inglis. The duo formed an unbeaten century stand.
Also read: Watch: Kusal Mendis avoids a nasty injury after Matthew Kuhnemann collision in 2nd Test
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Steve Smith Australia National Cricket Team Sri Lanka National Cricket Teams Sri Lanka vs Australia Australia vs Sri Lanka
