Steve Smith reached a historic milestone on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, overtaking England legend Jack Hobbs to become the second-highest run-scorer in Ashes history. The achievement came during Day 3 of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Smith’s 84th run took his career tally against England to 3,637.
By the close of play, Smith remained unbeaten on 129, guiding Australia to 518-7. Now, only Sir Donald Bradman, with 5,028 runs, stands ahead of Smith on the all-time list.
The century was Smith’s 37th in Test cricket and his 13th in the Ashes, moving him past Hobbs' mark of 12 hundreds in the rivalry. Smith now trails only Bradman’s 19 Ashes centuries. Despite a recent quiet spell by his standards, the 36-year-old’s home average at the SCG rose to 72.05 during this knock.
"I just love batting here," Smith said after play. "The pace of the wicket really suits the way I play. When I get in here, I really like batting here." His 205-ball masterclass featured his signature quirks, including several pauses for crowd movement and even ending up flat on his back during a frantic exchange with the England bowlers.
Smith’s dominance in the Ashes is reflected in a career average of over 56 against England across 41 matches. Former England captain Michael Vaughan spoke of the veteran making it count when conditions were in his favor: "When quality players know pitches are in their favor, they make it count."
Former Australian coach Justin Langer added that bowling to Smith was the most humiliating experience, likening the batter to a "brick wall." While Sir Donald Bradman’s records remain distant, Smith’s 13th Ashes ton places him in an elite group of only six players globally to have reached 37 Test centuries, alongside names like Sachin Tendulkar and Joe Root.
The innings has effectively taken the series finale away from England, as Australia surged past the visitors' first-innings total of 384. While teammate Usman Khawaja has confirmed this will be his final Test, Smith remains non-committal about retirement. "I've said for a while I'm taking it day by day, series by series," Smith said.
"I'm contributing and having fun, so there's no real end date for me." With fellow centurion Travis Head (163) at his side earlier in the day, Smith’s latest performance ensures that even as he becomes the oldest player in the current squad, his role as England’s primary tormentor remains unchanged.
