Australia got a full hospitable experience from the hosts as stand-in skipper Steve Smith and opener Usman Khawaja rode on marathon knocks to pile on Sri Lanka's misery and break a number of Test records during their herculean effort with the bat in the first Test in Galle. Khawaja notched up his maiden Test double-century while Smith continued to add to his tally after being in the 10,000 runs club in the longest format as they broke the Australia record for partnerships in Sri Lanka.
Smith and Khawaja's stand of 266 runs was the highest by any Australian pair in Tests in Sri Lanka as they got past the previous record held by Mike Hussey and Shaun Marsh more than 13 years ago in Kandy (258). The 266-run stand for the third wicket was also the second-highest for Australia in Test cricket history as they went past Dean Jones and Steve Waugh's unbeaten stand of 260. Joe Burns and Travis Head are still at the top with the 308-run partnership six years ago in Canberra.
Highest partnership for Australia in Tests against Sri Lanka
308 - Joe Burns, Travis Head (Canberra, 2019)
266 - Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (Galle, 2025)
260* - Dean Jones, Steve Waugh (Hobart, 1989)
Highest partnership for Australia in Tests in Sri Lanka
266 - Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (Galle, 2025)
258 - Mike Hussey, Shaun Marsh (Pallekele, 2011)
246 - Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith (Colombo SSC, 2016)
Smith got out for 141 after being trapped LBW by leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay. Smith went past Sunil Gavaskar's runs feat of 10,122 with 10,140 runs to his name in Test cricket while Usman Khawaja with an unbeaten 231 broke the record for the highest individual score by an Australian batter against Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
Debutant Josh Inglis built on Smith and Khawaja's partnership as Australia crossed 500-mark and will be looking for a possible declaration to get an opportunity to bowl at Sri Lanka for a few overs before the end of the second day's play.