Khawaja, Smith Blistering Centuries Help Australia In Commanding Position Against Sri Lanka In 1st Test

January 29, 2025: It was an absolutely dominant Day 1 for Australia, with Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja leading the charge in Galle, where both showed remarkable composure and skill on a challenging turning pitch. The pair’s blistering centuries have put Australia in a commanding position with 330/2 at stumps, making them favorites to take control of the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Travis Head’s explosive knock of 57 off 40 balls set the tone for the day, and while his dismissal slowed things down, Smith and Khawaja’s partnership was the highlight. Smith, reaching his 10,000th Test run in spectacular fashion, joined an elite group of players—he’s now one of the few who have achieved that milestone. It was unlucky for Sri Lanka that they couldn’t capitalize on early opportunities, like the dropped catch by Jayasuriya off Smith and a couple of missed chances with Khawaja.

Khawaja, too, was in fine form, showing no signs of his struggles in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier in the year. His century off 135 balls was a patient and calculated innings, and despite a few close calls, he made sure to capitalize on Sri Lanka’s missteps. Both batsmen took full advantage of Sri Lanka’s poor fielding, with a few dropped catches and misjudgments that could cost them dearly.

Smith and Khawaja’s partnership of 195 runs was just what Australia needed, and rain might have been a blessing in disguise for Sri Lanka, halting what could’ve been an even bigger total by the end of Day 1.

With two days already under their belt and Sri Lanka struggling to make inroads, it will be fascinating to see if they can regroup and put up a fight on Day 2. If Smith and Khawaja continue in this manner, Australia could be setting themselves up for a massive score in this first Test. How do you think Sri Lanka will respond on Day 2?