Sydney, Jan 14: Star Australian batsman Steve Smith has referred to the challenging 10,000-run milestone in Tests as a “different beast” after narrowly missing it by just one run at his home ground in Sydney during the fifth and final match against India, which heavily occupied his thoughts.
Smith needed 38 runs to reach this remarkable achievement but ended with 37 runs in a match that Australia won by six wickets, successfully reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after more than a decade.
“I don’t usually pay much attention to statistics, but reaching 10,000 is indeed a different challenge,” Smith shared with ‘SEN 1170 Breakfast’.
“It likely crossed my mind, to be frank. Generally, I don’t dwell much on such things, but in the lead-up to this game, I engaged in a lot of media interactions due to my approach toward the mark.” The number 38 lingered in his thoughts so much that Smith humorously noted he would forever link it to Josh Hazlewood, whose jersey number is 38.
“I was aware I needed 38 runs, and all I could visualize while trying to sleep at night was the back of Josh Hazlewood’s shirt with the number 38 (laughs). It’s a bit odd, isn’t it? This was likely occupying my thoughts more than any other match I’ve played, to be honest.
“However, it is what it is; thankfully, we were able to win the game in the end, so it didn’t matter much,” he concluded.
“I don’t usually pay much attention to statistics, but reaching 10,000 is indeed a different challenge,” Smith shared with ‘SEN 1170 Breakfast’.
“It likely crossed my mind, to be frank. Generally, I don’t dwell much on such things, but in the lead-up to this game, I engaged in a lot of media interactions due to my approach toward the mark.” The number 38 lingered in his thoughts so much that Smith humorously noted he would forever link it to Josh Hazlewood, whose jersey number is 38.
“I was aware I needed 38 runs, and all I could visualize while trying to sleep at night was the back of Josh Hazlewood’s shirt with the number 38 (laughs). It’s a bit odd, isn’t it? This was likely occupying my thoughts more than any other match I’ve played, to be honest.
“However, it is what it is; thankfully, we were able to win the game in the end, so it didn’t matter much,” he concluded. (PTI)
