SL VS AUS, 2nd Test: Steve Smith scores 1st ton since early 2021, surpasses Virat Kohli's tally in elite list

After Australia won the first Test by ten wickets versus hosts Sri Lanka, both sides squared off in the second and final Test in Galle on Friday (July 08). Pat Cummins & Co. opted to bat first and rode on centuries from Marnus Labuschange's first-ever ton outside Australia and Steve Smith's 109 not out to reach 298-5 at stumps on the opening day.

With Smith's 28th Test ton, the Aussie batting star finally ended his 19-month-long international century-drought with his last triple-figure score coming against Ajinkya Rahane-led India in the SCG Test in early 2021. Thus, the right-hander slammed his 28th ton in the purest format of the game to join England's run-machine Joe Root in an elite list.

By virtue of his impressive knock, Smith now has 28 Test centuries, the joint-most hundreds by active Test players. Thus, he surpassed India's Virat Kohli's tally, who has not hit a century at the international level since late 2019.

Most centuries by active Test players

Steve Smith - 28* (87 matches)

Joe Root - 28 (121 matches)

Virat Kohli - 27 (102 matches)

Kane Williamson - 24 (88 matches)

David Warner - 24 (96 matches)

After the end of the day's play in Galle, Cummins-led Aussies will be eager to post anything over 450 and bat the Sri Lankans out of the contest. Dimuth Karunaratne-led Islanders' batting was a huge letdown in the series opener, in Pallekele, where they returned with scores of 212 and 113 to lose by ten wickets.

Australia is eyeing a series whitewash over the hapless Sri Lankans and to strengthen their chances of entering thefinal of the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship.