'Craft' mastered as Smith closes in on another batting milestone

Steve Smith is only 27 runs away from bringing up another batting milestone on Australia's Test tour of Sri Lanka.

But he wishes he didn't know about this one.

After reaching 10,000 Test runs in last week's first match, Smith could become Australia's leading Test run-scorer in Asia when the second begins on Thursday.

Ricky Ponting, Australia's top Test run-scorer, scored 1889 from 48 digs in Asia, but has Smith (1863) breathing down his neck ahead of the stand-in captain's 42nd knock on the continent.

Smith previously admitted the 10,000-run milestone had played on his mind too much in the home summer.

He eventually paid the price; dismissed on 9999 in the second innings of the fifth Test against India so had to wait until Galle to bring up five figures.

He winced when told the latest statistic.

"I probably didn't need to know that number," the Australian No.4 said with a laugh.

"I'll forget about that one. It's cool, I guess, if I can get there. I haven't thought much about it.

"Hopefully I've got a few more than 27 this game, (that) would be nice."

Smith made his fastest Test half-century in the series opener en route to a skilful 141, marking a second consecutive Sri Lanka tour on which he has tonned up.

The 35-year-old is tied with Allan Border for the most Test centuries by an Australian in Asia (six) and averages better than 50 in Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.

"I've always enjoyed playing against spin in the subcontinent. It's a different beast than playing spin back home," Smith said.

"You've got to come up with different ways to score and survive, particularly when the wickets are really extreme.

"It's been good fun learning the craft over a long period of time and to score some runs."

The 2022 tour of Pakistan marks Smith's only series win in Asia from eight previous attempts, though.

He missed selection on the red-ball leg of the Sri Lanka tour in 2011, the last time Australia won a Test series in the island nation.

Australia drew the most recent series in Sri Lanka in 2022 after a big loss in the second match and were swept 3-0 on their 2016 tour.

The tourists are eyeing a whitewash of their own after belting Sri Lanka by an innings and 242 runs in the series opener.

"It'd be great for this group," Smith said.

"I thought we played really well last week, we controlled the game from the outset.

"Any time you win away from home, it's a good effort.

"We've played some really good cricket the last couple of years, we've got a very good side in that room, guys that are able to perform all around the world. It'd be ideal if we could wrap it up here and be 2-0 up."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

First Test: Australia win by an innings and 242 runs

Second Test: February 6-10, Galle (3.30pm AEDT)

Sri Lanka Test squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka (subject to fitness), Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Travis Head (vc), Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

First ODI: February 12, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3.30pm AEDT)