AFP, Galle

Australian batting great Steve Smith begins a tour of Sri Lanka just one short of entering the elite club of 10,000 Test runs ahead of Wednesday’s opening match in Galle.

Smith, who will captain the team for the two-match series in the absence of Pat Cummins, has amassed 9,999 runs in 114 matches at an average of more than 55.

The 35-year-old is all but assured of becoming the 15th batter in the world -- and fourth Australian after Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh -- to achieve the milestone.

“Honestly, I’m trying not to think about it [the milestone] too much,” Smith said on Tuesday.

Smith suggested it had played on his mind “a bit too much” during Australia’s fifth and final Test against India in Sydney this month, where his 33 and four left him agonisingly short.

“Now it’s just about focusing on the job at hand,” he said.

Australia, who have already set up a World Test Championship (WTC) final with South Africa at Lord’s in June, will be looking to stamp their authority as the number-one Test team.

Sri Lanka, led by Dhananjaya de Silva, will be looking to reclaim the Warne-Murali trophy.

Sri Lanka hammered the visiting Australians 3-0 in 2016 but the last series in 2022 ended 1-1, with both matches played in Galle.