Steve Smith beats Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, is quickest to 7500 Test runs
Australia’s run-machine Steve Smith added another feather to his cap on Monday when he became the fastest batsman to reach 7500 runs in Test cricket.
Steve Smith achieved the feat on Day 4 of the ongoing Gabba Test against India. The Australian batsman took 139 innings to reach the landmark, in the process beating the previous record jointly held by the Indian duo of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag (144 innings).
Sir Garfield Sobers and Kumar Sangakkara took 147 innings apiece to reach 7500 Test runs, while another Indian legend - Rahul Dravid - got there in 148 innings.
Steve Smith carried on his recent good form in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as he scored a fluent 55 off 74 balls in Australia’s second innings.
It needed a brilliant rising delivery from Mohammed Siraj to get the better of Steve Smith. The batsman had contributed 36 runs in Australia’s first innings.
Australia went to tea at 243 for 7 on Day 4 to swell their lead to 276 runs.
Steve Smith overtakes Mark Taylor in Australia's run-scoring charts in Test cricket
During his knock of 55, Steve Smith also went past former Australian captain Mark Taylor in the list of Australia’s leading run-scorers in Test cricket.
Steve Smith is now at number eight with 7540 runs in 77 Tests at an average of 61.80 with 27 hundreds and 31 fifties. Taylor scored 7525 runs in 104 Tests at an average of 43.49, which included 19 hundreds and 40 half-centuries.
Ricky Ponting is the all-time leading run-getter for Australia in Tests. He ended his career with 13378 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 51.85. The former Australian skipper scored 41 tons and 62 fifties in the longest format of the game.
Steve Smith is considered Australia’s finest active batsman and could threaten Ponting’s record if he continues in the same vein.
He would, however, do well to stay away from controversies, the latest of them being his ‘scuffing up’ act during the Sydney Test against India last week, which brought his sportsmanship into question yet again.