\n<\/p>\n
Australia batter Steve Smith passed the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket as he scored a century on the first day of his side’s opening match in Sri Lanka.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 35-year-old went into the first Test of the two-match series on 9,999 runs and, as captain in the absence of Pat Cummins, chose to bat after winning the toss.<\/p>\n
He came to the crease after Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had been dismissed and nudged his first delivery to mid-on for a single to become the 15th batter to reach 10,000 Test runs.<\/p>\n
“Fortunately hit that one in the gap so nice to get that one away,” Smith told Australia’s 7Cricket.<\/p>\n
“Nice to tick that off,” he added.<\/p>\n
Smith went on to score 104 not out as he helped his side reach 330-2 at the close of play<\/a> in Galle. <\/p>\n He is the fourth Australian to reach the 10,000 Test run landmark after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.<\/p>\n Smith missed a year from the game when he was banned for 12 months after being part of the sandpaper ball-tampering scandal<\/a> in a 2018 Test match against South Africa.<\/p>\n India’s Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most Test runs on 15,921, with Ponting second with 13,378.<\/p>\n England’s Joe Root is fifth on the list with 12,972 runs after he passed compatriot Alastair Cook, who is sixth on 12,472. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n