"I find quite stunning....": Gilchrist hails Smith's journey from leg spinner to batter with 10,000 Test runs

Galle [Sri Lanka], January 29 (ANI): Former Australian batter Adam Gilchrist hailed star batter Steve Smith on completing 10,000 Test runs, calling him a "master craftsman" and expressing admiration for his journey from a leg spinner to a top-class batter.
Smith made history on Wednesday, scoring his 35th Test century and also becoming only the fourth Australia batter to touch the 10,000 run mark in Tests during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle.
Reaching the 10,000 Test run mark is a memorable chapter of Smith's illustrious Test career, which saw him turn into an epitome of determination, grind and consistency, from the days of being rated as a successor to late leg-spinner Shane Warne.
Speaking as quoted by Fox Cricket, Gilchrist expressed wonder at this same journey and hailed the veteran for evolving his game so well.
"I think part of what is so amazing is how it started and how he got into the team at number eight or nine bowling leg spin, when we were still in the hunt for a replacement for Warnie, and (there were questions as to) where he was going to be that option? That is what I find quite stunning about his career, how it started," Gilchrist said.
"The way he evolved his own game and worked at that, it was completely different to everyone else, and that speaks volumes."
Gilchrist went on to hail Smith as "one of the greatest" batters for Australia.
"From a mental capacity and the psychology of his batting, I find that the most fascinating to watch. He is a master craftsman and he is one of our greatest," he concluded.
Smith ended the first day of the Galle Test unbeaten at 104* in 188 balls, with 10 fours and a six, involved in a 195-run partnership with Usman Khawaja (147* in 210 balls, with 10 fours and a six). Earlier, Australia had opted to bat first after winning the toss. Travis Head (57 in 40 balls, with 10 fours and a six) opened the innings with Khawaja and had a 92-run opening stand. Marnus Labuschagne (20 in 50 balls, with two fours) also contributed some runs before Smith and Khawaja joined forces and took Australia to 330/2 at the end of day one.
In 115 Tests and 205 innings, Smith has scored 10,103 runs at an average of 56.44. He has scored 35 centuries and 41 fifties, with the best score of 239.
He is the fourth Australian after Ricky Ponting (13,378), Allan Border (11,174) and Steve Waugh (10,927) to reach the 10,000 run mark and overall 15th player ever.
With 35 Test centuries, Smith has overtaken the likes of Younis Khan (Pakistan), Brian Lara (West Indies), Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) and Sunil Gavaskar (India), who all have 34 Tests each.
In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, Smith has scored 1,156 runs at an average of 38.53, with four centuries and four fifties in 34 innings. His best score is 140. He is the seventh-highest run-getter so far in the competition and Australia's top run-getter. (ANI)