Sat Feb 08 01:30:23 UTC 2025: ## Smith Surpasses Ponting as Australia’s Top Test Run-Scorer in Asia
**Galle, Sri Lanka** – Australian batting star Steve Smith etched his name into cricketing history on Friday, surpassing legendary Ricky Ponting to become Australia’s highest ever Test run-scorer in the Asian subcontinent. Smith achieved the feat during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, reaching the milestone just 15 minutes after lunch with a single off Nishan Peiris.
Smith needed just 27 runs to overtake Ponting’s total of 1889 runs in Asia. He accomplished this in significantly fewer innings than Ponting, reaching the mark in his 42nd innings compared to Ponting’s 48, and with a superior average of 51.08 to Ponting’s 41.97. This achievement comes just a day after Smith broke Ponting’s record for most Test catches by an Australian outfielder.
Despite facing early challenges in the second Test, including surviving an LBW appeal and a close LBW call that he successfully reviewed, Smith’s experience and skill proved pivotal on the challenging Galle pitch. His impressive form in Asia continued, building on his fastest Test half-century (57 balls) and century (141) in the first Test. This century was his sixth in Asia, tying him with Allan Border for the most Test centuries by an Australian in the subcontinent.
Smith, known for his consistency in challenging overseas conditions, boasts an average above 50 in Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan. However, the 33-year-old remained uncertain about his future in Asia, offering no firm commitment when asked about the upcoming tour of India in 2027. The question remains whether this series marks the end of Smith’s impressive Asian Test career.
First Piper 