New Delhi, Feb 5
As Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne prepares to play his 100th and final Test match, Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith took a moment to pay tribute to the veteran opener ahead of the second Test in Galle.
Smith acknowledged Karunaratne’s remarkable career, calling him one of the most consistent opening batters of modern cricket.
"Yeah, he's had a really good career up top there for Sri Lanka, playing his 100th game as well," ICC quoted Smith as saying. "There's a bit of a ceremony for him before the game, and he's been super consistent, if not probably the most consistent top-order opening batsman for a long period of time."
At 36 years old, Karunaratne is stepping away from Test cricket after a recent dip in form, leaving behind a legacy as one of Sri Lanka’s finest red-ball openers.
"He's had a wonderful career. But, yeah, hopefully, we can keep him quiet in his last game," Smith added with a smile, as Australia looks to seal the series with another dominant performance.
While Karunaratne’s farewell match is a major storyline, Smith’s captaincy has also been a talking point. With regular skipper Pat Cummins absent due to injury and paternity leave, Smith has once again stepped in to lead Australia—and has impressed.
Cummins, watching from the sidelines, praised Smith’s leadership, even calling him a “genius” for some of the tactical decisions he has made on this tour. Smith was visibly pleased with the compliment but remained focused on the task ahead.
"That's nice of him," Smith said. "I love captaining in these conditions. I understand the game well and the angles that need to be created—just moving the chess pieces around the board. It's good fun, and yeah, I've enjoyed it so far. Hopefully, another good week ahead."
With the ICC Champions Trophy set to begin on February 19, Australia may need Smith to continue in the captaincy role, as Cummins’ lingering injury has raised doubts about his availability for the tournament.
If Cummins is unable to recover in time Smith,who has captained Australia in several ICC events before, could step in once again.