Steve Smith has experienced the agonizing moment of falling one run short of joining cricket's exclusive 10,000-run club during the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The anticipation for this milestone was palpable, not just for fans but also for his wife, Dani Willis, who was visibly anxious as she watched from the stands.
Entering the match, Smith needed 38 runs to reach this significant figure, which would have made him only the fourth Australian player ever to achieve it, following legends Ricky Ponting (13,378 runs), Allan Border (11,174), and Steve Waugh (10,927).
On the second day, things were progressing well for Smith. After starting confidently with quick runs, he looked comfortable at the crease until his innings came to a surprising end. He was dismissed for 33 when he edged Prasidh Krishna’s delivery to Virat Kohli at slip, leaving him at 9995 runs. The crowd's excitement turned to nervousness as many anticipated he would cross the landmark run soon.
Smith's second chance came during the next innings, but his hopes were dashed when he fell for just four runs, again to Krishna. His dismissal came as he fended off what can only be described as a 'brute' of a ball, which landed right in Yashasvi Jaiswal's hands at gully, resulting in his return to the pavilion, still one run shy of the 10,000 mark.
Dani's reaction was heart-wrenching—visible disappointment swept over her face as she threw her hands up, acutely aware of how close her husband had come to his milestone, and it was clear her heart sank for him.
Smith's attempt to set another record didn’t end there—he also had the opportunity to equal Ricky Ponting's Australian record for the most catches taken by a non-wicketkeeper player, with 196 catches. On day two, he had successfully caught Kohli, bringing him one catch closer to the record. But frustration mounted when he dropped what many commentators termed a regulation catch of Ravindra Jadeja, prompting criticism from former greats. Mark Waugh speculated if they were simply standing too close together, noting, "That’s just a regulation catch. To me, they’re too tight (in the slips). That’s a chance gone begging.”
While Ricky Ponting defended Smith's catching strategy, explaining, "If you see it and think you can get it, you go for it," the dissent from various pundits suggested Smith’s past catching errors loomed large. Observers indicated Smith had dropped several recent straightforward opportunities, with some arguing his attempts to take the catch were somewhat selfish.
The dropped catch certainly painted Smith's day as bittersweet, serving as the backdrop to Australia's performance. Despite the blip, as the match unfolded, Smith's teammate Scott Boland took center stage, collecting six wickets and establishing Australia’s position going forward.
After Australia was bowled out for only 181 runs, India took a slender four-run lead, setting up the stage for tense final moments. Both teams were aware of the stakes; Australia was chasing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in ten years, needing to win or draw, whereas India sought to protect their title with a must-win scenario.
With Smith already back at the crease and 9995 runs on the board, fans remain hopeful he will soon solidify his name among cricket's elite with the much-awaited 10,000th run—a significant milestone for any cricketer. Only time will tell if he can overcome the small hurdle of the nervous 9990s and achieve the milestone on home soil, adding yet another achievement to his storied career.
Whether facing the high-pressure environment of national pride or the weight of personal milestones, Steve Smith's next opportunity to enter the 10,000-run club awaits, and anticipation runs high for both his performance and the match's outcome.