5 current batsmen who could join the 10000-run club in Tests

5. Steve Smith

Steve Smith has a Test average of 60.18 and has amassed close to 4000 runs

Australia’s newest run-machine, and their incumbent leader in all three formats, Steven Smith has a story as unorthodox as his batting technique. Smith was first picked in the Australian team as a leg-spinner against Pakistan in 2010, when in the aftermath of Shane Warne’s retirement that had already continued for 3 years, Australia were haplessly searching for someone who could fill in the big gap that was left by the legend’s departure.

From being a part-time leg-spinner, Smith's ascendancy to the No. 3 batting slot, and him becoming the best batsman of the current Australian line-up in popular opinion is a tale that very few would believe. Smith had an unbelievable 2014, wherein he plundered 1146 runs from just 9 Test matches, and bettered it the following year when he ended up aggregating 1474 runs from 13 Test matches in 2015, averaging 81.85 and 73.70 respectively.

From 41 Test matches, Smith has amassed 3852 runs at a staggering average of 60.18 with 14 Test centuries to his name. At 27 years of age, and considering the fitness level that he has maintained over the past 6 years, one can expect him to play for Australia for at least 7 more years. With such a probability on the cards, Smith can be considered to be well in line to join the elite club and become the fourth Australian batsman to do so, after Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting.