Star Australian batter Steve Smith surpassed the great Ricky Ponting to become Australia's highest Test run scorer in the Asian subcontinent. On the second day of the second Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday, Smith surpassed Ponting's record. A day after beating Ponting's record for the most Test catches by an Australian outfielder (197), Smith became Australia's top run scorer in the Asian subcontinent. Fifteen minutes after midday, the Australian batsman picked a single off Sri Lankan spinner Nishan Peiris to reach the 27-run mark, surpassing Ponting's record of 1,889 runs in Asia.
Smith surpasses Ponting
Over 48 innings, Ponting amassed 1,889 runs at an average of 41.97. Nevertheless, Smith, who had an outstanding average of 51.08 in Asia, achieved the milestone in just his 42nd innings. Smith previously acknowledged that he had been preoccupied with hitting 10,000 career Test runs, a feat he had already accomplished in the opening Test match against Sri Lanka, and that he had been reluctant to focus too much emphasis on milestones.
Smith was just four runs shy of the milestone when he successfully overturned an LBW decision against him in the second Test, despite early difficulties that included surviving an LBW appeal on the first ball he faced and a close edge off Prabath Jayasuriya's bowling on 12. Australia has benefited greatly from his talent and subcontinental expertise, particularly on a difficult Galle pitch where Sri Lanka scored 257 runs in their opening inning.
Most runs by an Australian batter in Asia
- 1932* - Steve Smith
- 1889 - Ricky Ponting
- 1799 - Alan Border
- 1663 - Matthew Hayden
- 1580 - Usman Khawaja
In the first Test, Smith demonstrated his mastery of Asia by scoring a stunning 141 and recording his fastest Test half-century off just 57 balls. He tied Allan Border for the most Test hundreds by an Australian on the subcontinent with his century, which was his third in four games in Sri Lanka and his sixth overall in Asia.
Smith has consistently been among Australia's best batters in difficult overseas circumstances, averaging over 50 in Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan. However, it is still unclear if this current series will be his final one in Asia. When asked if he will participate in Australia's upcoming subcontinental tour to India in early 2027, when he will be 37, the seasoned batsman, now 33, remained evasive.