Usman Khawaja silenced the doubters and Steve Smith finished with two milestones as Australia dominated Sri Lanka in Galle on day one of the first Test.
At the toss, the looks on the faces of both captains said it all when Smith won and elected to bat. The Aussie skipper was elated, Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva was downcast.
Eventually Australia finished at 2/330 with Smith and Khawaja scoring centuries before rain forced play to be abandoned.
RECAP: Australia v Sri Lanka first Test, day one
Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith celebrate their tons. Â AP/Getty
"Perfect day for Australia, winning the toss and batting first and then getting the job done," Simon Katich said on 7.
Travis Head's move to the top of the order was a masterstroke early for the Aussies with the left-hander smashing his way to 57 off 40 balls.
Prabath Jayasuriya was the first to snare a wicket with Australia 1-92.
Marnus Labuschange's struggles with the bat continued when he was gone for 20 off the bowling of Jeffrey Vandersay.
Smith then ventured to the pitch, sitting on 9999 Test runs. The first ball he hit it to mid-on and brought up the 10,000 milestone.
Two balls later he was dropped by Jayasuriya on 1. It summed up the first session for Sri Lanka with Khawaja dropped and the home side failing to review a Head lbw which would've been given out.
From there, the two veterans were in total control.
Khawaja came into the match having not scored a century since June 2023, and pressure on his position. However, the 38-year-old proved the critics wrong, scoring his century off 135 balls.
Smith reached his milestone in the final session, bringing up his 35th century. That number meant he surpassed Younis Khan, Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Mahela Jayawardene for Test centuries scored.
"Superb knock, superb batting … it's been effortless, he's done it so easily, hardly been challenged at all apart from that drop catch straight away which should've been taken by the way, that was an easy return catch," Ricky Ponting said.
"Ominous signs for the series," Trent Copeland added.
A rain delay would halt the momentum of Australia with stumps eventually called as the visitors eye off a mammoth total on day two.
