Aus amass 654-6 after Khawaja's double ton

GALLE, SRI LANKA:

Australia had Sri Lanka three down after opener Usman Khawaja's first double century and a ton on debut by Josh Inglis helped the tourists to 654-6 declared in the first match on Thursday.

Sri Lanka were 44-3 by stumps on day two at Galle with senior batsmen Dinesh Chandimal, on nine, and Kamindu Mendis, on 13, on guard until rain stopped play.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann struck first to have Oshada Fernando lbw and soon pace spearhead Mitchell Starc got Dimuth Karunaratne caught at gully. Both batsmen made seven.

Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon then sent back former skipper Angelo Mathews out for eight with Travis Head taking a diving catch at short leg.

Khawaja's 266-run third-wicket partnership with Steve Smith, who hit 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs, stood out after Australia elected to bat first at the start of the two-match series.

It was the first time the tourists had breached the 600-run mark in Sri Lanka, surpassing their previous Asian high of 617, posted in Pakistan in 1980.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey was unbeaten on 46 with Mitchell Starc on 19 when Smith declared the first innings in the final session.

Inglis made it count when he walked in after Smith departed on 141 in a landmark innings that got the stand-in skipper to 10,000 Test runs.

He made 102 and with Khawaja kept up the batting surge in a 146-run stand to tire out the opposition attack.

Spinner Prabath Jayasuriya broke the partnership to get Khawaja caught behind as the opener walked back after 352 balls that included 16 fours and one six.

Inglis reached his ton off 90 balls as he jumped in delight and punched the air.

But he got out in the next over as he gave away a catch to short cover off Jayasuriya.

Jayasuriya and fellow spinner Jeffrey Vandersay took three wickets each as Sri Lanka toiled for 154 overs.

The tourists resumed on 330-2 as overnight batsmen Khawaja and Smith frustrated the opposition attack on a sunny morning.

Khawaja took a single off Jayasuriya to reach 200 as he removed his helmet, raised his bat and dropped down to kiss the turf while teammates and fans stood up to applaud.

His previous best was an unbeaten 195 against South Africa in 2023 at Sydney and he is now the first Australian batsman to make a double ton in Sri Lanka.

Ponting excludes Kohli from 'Fab Four'

Former Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, excluded Virat Kohli from the Fab Four of modern Test cricket. While Kohli was once regarded as the leading batter of his generation, his recent decline has forced Ponting to rank Joe Root, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith ahead of him.

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Ponting, a two-time World Cup-winning captain, acknowledged Kohli's past dominance but suggested that his recent form no longer justifies a place among the elite.

"Five or six years ago, the Fab Four included Kohli, Root, Williamson, and Smith. But things have changed. Joe Root has made 19 hundreds in the past four years, while Smith and Williamson have remained consistent," Ponting said, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.

"If you ask an Englishman, they'll say Root; if you ask an Aussie, they'll say Smith; and if you ask a Kiwi, they'll say Williamson. Based on numbers alone, it's hard to argue against Smith's achievements," he added.

Ponting's comments come in the wake of Steve Smith reaching the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket, joining Australian greats Ponting, Allan Border, and Steve Waugh.

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With 35 Test centuries, Smith is now one century behind Joe Root (36) and ahead of Kane Williamson (33), while Kohli trails at 30. Smith has also excelled in overseas conditions, scoring over 4,500 runs at an average of 54.60 in away Tests.