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IND vs AUS: Australian cricket superstar Steve Smith failed to make history by one run, failing to achieve the milestone of 10,000 Test runs for the second day running as he was dismissed for 9999 runs. Over the years, Smith has been in top form and was out both times in the ongoing Sydney Test, thus missing his entry into the exclusive 10,000-run club.
Smith’s Close Call: A Frustrating Near Miss in IND vs AUS
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On Saturday, on the third day of the Sydney IND vs AUS Test, Smith came agonizingly close to becoming only the 15th player in history to achieve the remarkable feat of scoring 10,000 Test runs. In a cruel irony of fate, Smith was dismissed for 9955 runs, five runs short of the milestone, when he was caught at slip.
On the next day, Sunday, Smith once again faced the bitter disappointment of missing out by a single run. He had already moved to 9999 runs before he was dismissed by Prasidh Krishna. Faced with a short-pitched delivery, Smith tried to defend it, but the ball flew to gully, where he was caught out. This was the second time in just two days that the Australian batting maestro had been dismissed on the brink of 10,000 Test runs, a rare and unfortunate occurrence in cricket history.
With this dismissal, Smith joined a select group of cricketers, becoming only the second player to be dismissed for 9999 runs. The first player to suffer this fate was Sri Lanka’s iconic batsman Mahela Jayawardena.
Smith’s Journey to the Milestone: A Test of Patience
Whilst the near misses were unfortunate, Steve Smith’s career has been nothing short of phenomenal. He has emerged as one of the most prolific and consistent run-scorers in Test cricket history. Smith is considered one of the best modern-day batsmen in international cricket; his achievement of 8000 Test runs came in record time, followed by the second-fastest march to 9000 runs.
However, the journey to the 10,000-run mark has taken longer than expected due to some fluctuations in form during the 2023-24 season, including a brief stint as an opener following David Warner’s retirement.
Despite these setbacks, Smith’s recent form has been strong, as evidenced by his back-to-back centuries in Brisbane and Melbourne, bringing him to the cusp of this remarkable achievement. With the Sydney Test behind him, Smith’s wait for the elusive 10,000-run mark will now extend to the upcoming series against Sri Lanka in Galle, where he will have another opportunity to become the fourth Australian player in history to reach the milestone.
A Glowing Endorsement from Allan Border
Just before the Sydney Test, Australian cricket legend Allan Border showered lavish praise on Steve Smith, terming him a “legend of the game”. A former Australian captain and the first Australian to achieve 11,000 Test runs, Border particularly pointed out the excellent batting consistency of Smith and his records, including a remarkable average of around 57, which he said was among the best ever.
“If you take Bradman out of the equation, Steve is one of the best players ever, and he now ranks alongside the greats of Australian cricket like Greg Chappell, Ricky Ponting, and Steve Waugh,” Border told Nine Newspapers. He further emphasized that Smith’s name should be mentioned alongside cricketing icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, acknowledging Smith’s outstanding contribution to the game.
Smith’s Role and the Road Ahead
As Smith approaches this century mark, the role of him in Australian cricket is going to change. The absence of Pat Cummins for at least one Test match with the birth of his second child means he is going to carry more responsibility as a leader and batsman, and it seems that he would lead Australia on the Sri Lanka tour, where finally he can pass 10,000 runs.
Although it has surpassed the initial projections on time, there is no doubt that Smith will join the 10,000 club very soon. His career was marked with resilience and the ability to cope under pressure. Only time will tell when he will become one of the many elite members of this fantastic group.
Smith Becomes a Member of an Elite Class
Once Smith scores 10,000 Test runs, he will become one of the privileged few, thereby becoming the fourth Australian to join this exclusive group. He would be emulating the cricketing greats Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting, all legends of Australian cricket who have stamped their own name in the record books of Test cricket.
Further entries in the records, particularly being a member of the 10,000 run club, Smith’s entry there would mark his history into legend and become more immortal. Every move that would make Smith play his cricket on the field of war and test conditions, will excite cricket-loving hearts and prepare for his entry into another big record.
