NEW DELHI: Former England captain Michael Vaughan recently commended Australian batsman Steve Smith for his remarkable achievement of surpassing 10,000 runs in Test cricket, a milestone that aligns him with cricketing legends such as Don Bradman.
Smith achieved this feat during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, joining Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting as the only Australians to have reached this landmark.
This accomplishment also places Smith among a select group of 15 cricketers worldwide who have achieved over 10,000 runs in Test cricket, highlighting his significant impact on the format.
“I would argue that he is the best modern-day Test match player. I think he is the best problem solver. He has a quirky technique, but he just seems to be able to pick the ball out of the bowler’s hand quicker than most. He has this amazing ability to study the field and work out what is on and what is not on any given day on a pitch,” Vaughan told Fox Cricket.
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Smith’s journey to this milestone began in 2010 when he debuted in Test cricket against Pakistan at Lord’s, initially contributing more as a leg-spinner.
Over the years, he has transformed into one of the most consistent and adaptable batsmen in the game, amassing 34 Test centuries, which ranks him seventh on the all-time list for most hundreds in Test cricket.
His performance has been particularly noteworthy against strong teams like England and India, against whom he has scored over 6,000 runs in 61 Tests.
Adam Gilchrist, former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman, and Ravi Shastri, former Indian coach and commentator, both reflected on Smith’s evolution from a leg-spinner to a leading batsman in Test cricket.
“I think part of what is so amazing is how it started and how he got into the team at No. 8 or 9, bowling leg spin, when we were still in the hunt for a replacement for Warnie (Shane Warne). There were questions about whether he was going to be that option. That is what I find quite stunning about his career—how it started,” Gilchrist added.
