Usman Khawaja saluted "absolute legend" Steve Smith after Australia's stand-in skipper hit his 10,000th Test run during their opening Test against Sri Lanka.

The 35-year-old became the 15th different player to reach the landmark - and fourth Australian after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

He is also the fifth-fastest player to reach five figures (205 innings), behind only Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara and Ponting.

Smith came into day one of the first Test on 9,999 and wasted no time in bringing up 10,000, doing so off the first delivery he faced.

"Fortunately, [I] hit that one in the gap, so nice to get that one away," he told Australia's 7Cricket. "[It's] nice to tick that off."

Smith went on to record his 35th Test century, moving him to seventh on the all-time list behind Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Ponting, Sangakkara, Joe Root and Rahul Dravid.

He finished the day on 104 not out to steer Australia to 330-2 in a 195-run unbeaten stand with Usman Khawaja, who made 147.

"I think I have scored more runs than anyone else batting alongside Smith," said Khawaja. "I just gave him a really big hug and said you are an absolute legend, and you get to 10,000 runs only once and enjoy it."

Welcome to the club, @stevesmith49

Where will he end up on this list? pic.twitter.com/I9vRmqFnyX

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 29, 2025