Thu Jan 30 15:27:16 UTC 2025: ## Aussie Star Smith Joins 10,000 Test Run Club, Names Potential Successors
**Galle, Sri Lanka** – Australian batting stalwart Steve Smith achieved a monumental milestone on the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, becoming only the fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs. Joining an elite club alongside Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting, Smith celebrated the achievement with his teammates before reflecting on who might follow in his footsteps.
In an interview following his landmark achievement, Smith identified three players he believes have the potential to reach the 10,000-run mark: Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, and teenage prodigy Sam Konstas.
Labuschagne, already boasting 4,346 runs from 55 Tests, is considered the closest to reaching the milestone. Head, a consistent performer in the Australian middle-order, has accumulated 3,621 runs in 54 matches. The youngest of the three, 19-year-old Konstas, despite his recent Test debut, has shown immense promise, showcasing an aggressive batting style in his maiden innings against India.
While the path to 10,000 Test runs is long and challenging, Smith’s endorsement highlights the exciting talent within the Australian cricket team and suggests a bright future for the nation’s batting line-up.
First Piper 