Australia shatter records with mammoth first-innings total in Galle
The visitors declared after posting a record total, their highest in a Test innings in the subcontinent.
The total of 654 scored against Sri Lanka in the first innings in Galle is Australia’s 13th highest in Test history and their highest ever in the subcontinent. Their previous best in Asia came back in 1980 in Faisalabad against Pakistan, where they posted 617.
Usman Khawaja (232) and Steve Smith (141) led the charge with the bat, compiling a 266-run stand for the third wicket. It is Australia's highest-ever partnership in Sri Lanka, surpassing the previous record set in 2011 at Pallekele when Michael Hussey and Shaun Marsh added 258 runs.
Australia finish Day 2 strong, with early wickets keeping Sri Lanka in check in Galle đź‘Ź #WTC25 | đź“ť #SLvAUS: https://t.co/8NKpfnNf96 pic.twitter.com/RsIr2UJ2yH
— ICC (@ICC) January 30, 2025
Khawaja’s monumental 232 ranks as the third-highest individual score by a visiting batter in Sri Lanka, trailing only Chris Gayle’s 333 and Stephen Fleming’s unbeaten 274.
Another centurion for the visitors was Josh Inglis, whose debut century is the second-fastest in history in terms of number of balls faced. The 90-ball ton was just behind Shikhar Dhawan’s record, who smashed a century off 85 balls on debut against Australia in 2013.
Highest Test totals for Australia in subcontinent
| Score | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| 654/6 d | vs Sri Lanka | Galle | 2025 |
| 617 | vs Pakistan | Faisalabad | 1980 |
| 599/4 d | vs Pakistan | Peshawar | 1998 |
| 581/4 d | vs Bangladesh | Chattogram | 2006 |
| 577 | vs India | Delhi | 2008 |
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first in their last red-ball assignment ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final, and went on to make the most of the opportunity by posting their highest-ever total in Asia.
Newly promoted opener Travis Head got off to a characteristically aggressive start, smashing 57 off 40 balls before falling to Prabath Jayasuriya. Marnus Labuschagne added 20 runs before Jeffrey Vandersay claimed his maiden Test wicket.
The defining partnership came from Australian stalwarts Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith, who put together a massive 266-run stand. Khawaja reached a career milestone with his maiden double century, while Smith not only notched another Test hundred but also became the 15th player in history to cross the 10,000 mark.
Josh Inglis had a dream debut, scoring a century in his first Test innings. Alex Carey contributed 43, while Beau Webster added 23 and Mitchell Starc chipped in with 19, helping Australia reach a massive 654 before declaring.