January 30, 2025: Australia’s batting maestro, Steve Smith, has recently become the fourth Australian to reach the remarkable milestone of 10,000 Test runs, joining legends Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting in the exclusive club. This historic achievement came on the opening day of the first Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Galle, when Smith completed a single on his first ball of the match.
After raising his bat to the crowd in celebration, Smith shared a heartfelt moment with his teammate Usman Khawaja, who congratulated him on the milestone. Following his achievement, Smith was asked about the future of Australian cricket and who might join him in the 10,000-run club.
When asked to name the next players who could reach the significant landmark, Smith thoughtfully pointed to three emerging stars: Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, and the young prodigy, Sam Konstas.
“I think there’s a few people that can certainly tick it off,” Smith said. “Marnus (Labuschagne) is about halfway there. Travis (Head) potentially. (Sam) Konstas is 19, and he could play for a long, long time potentially.”
Marnus Labuschagne, already one of Australia’s key players, is making solid progress towards the feat. With 4,346 runs in 55 Tests, Labuschagne boasts an impressive average of 47.23, positioning him as a strong candidate for the 10,000-run milestone.
Travis Head, another prominent figure in the Australian middle order, has accumulated 3,621 runs in 54 Tests, averaging 43.10. Head’s aggressive playing style and impressive strike rate of 67.21 make him a likely contender to reach the landmark.
Meanwhile, Sam Konstas, at just 19 years old, is a promising talent with the potential to play for many years. Although he’s still early in his career, Konstas has already made an impact, scoring a rapid 60 in his debut Test against India. His fearless and aggressive approach to batting has caught the attention of cricket fans and pundits alike.
As Smith continues to rack up records, it’s clear that Australia’s future in Test cricket looks bright, with the next generation of players showing the potential to join their legendary predecessors in the exclusive 10,000-run club.