Steve Smith will have to wait 24 more days to reach the coveted 10,000 Test runs milestone after being dismissed in both innings of the ongoing fifth Test against India at the SCG. The Australian stalwart was once again stopped in his tracks by Prasidh Krishna, who dismissed him for 4 in the second innings, leaving Smith tantalizingly close to the landmark.
Prasidh denies Smith for the second time
Smith’s dismissal came early on Day 3 as Prasidh Krishna’s extra bounce proved decisive yet again. Bowling wide of off on a good length, Krishna got the ball to rise sharply, forcing Smith into an awkward fend. The ball found the splice of Smith’s bat and was safely pouched by Yashasvi Jaiswal at third slip. It was a timely dive from Jaiswal, who showcased his sharp reflexes to send Smith packing for the second time in this match.
Smith, now at 9999 career Test runs, fell for just 4 runs, leaving the SCG crowd buzzing. Prasidh Krishna celebrated the crucial wicket with a fiery fist pump as Australia stumbled further in their pursuit of a challenging target set by India.
Smith’s next chance for 10k runs
The 10,000-run milestone, achieved by only 13 cricketers in Test history, will have to wait until Australia’s next red-ball assignment. Smith is likely to lead Australia in the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting January 29, as regular skipper Pat Cummins is expected to miss the series to spend time with his family. Smith will need just a single run to etch his name into cricketing history during the series opener.
World Test Championship implications
For now, Smith’s focus will be on helping Australia secure victory in the ongoing SCG Test. A win against India would guarantee Australia a place in the World Test Championship final. However, if India emerges victorious, Australia will need to win both Tests against Sri Lanka to secure their spot in the summit clash.
