The numbers surrounding Steve Smith and his impending 10,000 runs

Steve Smith will become the 15th player to reach 10,000 Test runs in the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Galle.

Smith will become the fourth Australian to reach the milestone, joining Ricky Ponting, Allan Border and Steve Waugh who blazed that trail before him.

All three were captains of the Test team when they made their 10,000th run. With regular skipper Pat Cummins staying home, Smith will lead the Team in Sri Lanka to make it a fourth.

Of the 15 players to make 9,999 runs or more, Smith has the second best average of 55.86, only behind Kumar Sangakkara’s 57.40, and slightly ahead of Jacques Kallis’ 55.37.

If Smith reaches the 10,000 mark in the first innings in Galle, he'll become the fifth fastest ever to reach the milestone in terms of innings (205) and equal second fastest alongside Sangakkara in terms of matches played (115), behind only Brian Lara (111).

Smith’s 34 Test hundreds sits equal seventh on the all-time list and second for Australia behind Ponting’s 41.

See the top Test runs list below:

1 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND) - 15,921
2 - Ricky Ponting (AU) - 13,378
3 - Jacques Kallis (ICC/SA) - 13,289
4 - Rahul Dravid (ICC/IND) - 13,288
5 - Joe Root (ENG) - 12,972
6 - Alastair Cook (ENG) - 12,472
7 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL) - 12,400
8 - Brian Lara (ICC/WI) - 11,953
9 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) - 11,867
10 - Mahela Jayawardene (SL) - 11,814
11 - Allan Border (AUS) - 11,174
12 - Steve Waugh (AUS) - 10,927
13 - Sunil Gavaskar (IND) - 10,122
14 - Younis Khan (PAK) - 10,099
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15 - STEVE SMITH (AUS) - 9,999

Listen to all the SEN Cricket action LIVE from Galle as Smith pursues 10,000 runs for Australia against Sri Lanka.