Test Cricket is undoubtedly the hardest format of the game of cricket and needs an absolute talent for survival. Like its name, it tests the batters’ skills, technique, energy, patience, and every aspect as an athlete. Test Cricket has been famous for longer innings usually, but some of the marvels of the game have broken several records with their exceptionally gigantic innings.
Overall, there are 30 triple centuries and a quadruple century in the international Test cricket (men’s and women’s). Just for the knowledge, there’s no Indian player in the list of ’10 Highest Individual Scores in Test Cricket.’
West Indian prodigy Brian Lara holds the record for the highest individual score in international Test cricket. He is the first and only player to score a quadruple century in the red-ball format. To know more, let’s have a look at the rest of the list.
10 Highest Individual Scores in Test Cricket
10. David Warner (335* runs)
The 35-year-old Warner, coming back after the ban of a year, made history against Pakistan. It was the second and day-night Test of the Pakistan tour of Australia 2019, a part of the World Test Championship schedule for both countries.
Tim Paine led Australia, winning the toss, opted to bat first. Warner opened the inning, smashed 335 runs, and carried the bat. The left-hand batter’s knock involved 39 fours and a six. Warned faced 554 deliveries and carried the bat.
Australia declared their inning at 589 for three. While Pakistan, in reply, put on a total of 302, in their first inning. Following on, Australia bowled them out for 239, winning the match by an inning and 48 runs.
9. Wally Hammond (336* runs)
It was the second Test of the England tour of New Zealand in 1933, where the English veteran Wally Hammond showed his prime. NZ winning the toss decided to bat first at Eden Park, Auckland. The Kiwis, with their poor batting performance, got all out for 158, in their first innings.
In reply, Bob Wyatt led England lost one of their openers at a decent score. Hammond, the right-hand batter came in to bat at number three, and scored 336 runs with 34 fours and 10 sixes, at a faster strike rate. Reportedly, Hammond batted for 318 minutes and carried the bat.
While England declared a huge score of 548/7. New Zealand again, in their second inning, was batting on the score of 16 for no loss; but the match ended up being drawn.
8. Hanif Mohammad (337 runs)
The veteran Pakistan batter Hanif Mohammad made it to history when he scored 337 runs against West Indies (WI). It was the first Test of the five-match series when Pakistan toured WI in 1958. Winning the toss, WI elected to bat first at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown Barbados. WI declared their first inning at a huge total of 579 for nine. Pakistan, then, couldn’t do better, as they were bowled out for 106 runs.
Following on, Mohammad opened the inning for his national side and scored 337 runs with 24 fours. The right-hand batter played for 970 minutes (16 hours as per record), the longest in history so far. Pakistan declared on 657 for eight. West Indies were batting in their second inning, at a score of 28 for no loss, but the 6-day Test match resulted to be drawn.
7. Sanath Jayasuriya (340 runs)
Sanath Jayasuriya, the legendary Sri Lankan all-rounder was at his best during the India tour of Sri Lanka (SL), in 1997. It was the first Test of the two-match series, at Colombo. Batting first, Sachin Tendulkar-led India to declare a huge total of 537 for eight. In reply, Sri Lanka’s Jayasuriya hit a triple century.
Just a 27-year-old then, Jayasuriya scored 340 runs with 36 boundaries and two sixes. The left-hand batter stayed on the crease for 799 minutes (more than 13 hours) and aided the Islanders to put on a massive total of 952 for six (declared). The slow left-arm orthodox bowler also took three wickets in that match. Besides, the match resulted to be drawn and the series, too.
6. Leonard Hutton (364 runs)
The English veteran Leonard Hutton is sixth on the list with his career-best individual total of 364 in 847 deliveries. Hutton, the English opener was playing a 4-match Test series against Australia, in England, in 1938. England, winning the toss, elected to bat first. Hutton, at the Kennington Oval, London, smashed 364 runs, with 35 boundaries. England declared the inning at a mammoth score of 903 for seven.
In reply, Australia couldn’t sustain for long and got all out for 201 runs. Following on, in their second inning, it got worse for the Aussies and they again bowled out for merely 123 runs. England won the match by an innings and 579 runs.
5. Sir Garry Sobers (365* runs)
The veteran West Indies (WI) all-rounder Garfield Sobers also known as Sir Garry Sobers scored his career-best score against Pakistan, at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica. It was the third Test of the five-match Test series of the Pakistan tour of West Indies, in 1958 (the Test matches used to go on for six days then.)
Pakistan, batting first posted a decent total of 328; while, WI in their first inning, lost one of the openers Rohan Kanhai, after a decent opening run-stand. Right then, Sir Sobers came in to bat at number three and scored 365 runs with 38 boundaries.
The left-hand batter was on the field for about 10 hours and carried the bat! WI declared their inning at 790 for merely three wickets. While Pakistan, in their second inning, fell easily, at a score of 288, all out. WI won the match by an inning and 174 runs.
4. Mahela Jayawardene (374 runs)
Sri Lankan progeny Mahela Jayawardene had a prime stint with his national side. While, his personal best came while playing in a home series against South Africa, in 2006. It was the first test of the two-match Test series and Ashwell Prince-led SA won the ss and elected to bat first.
The Proteas batters seemed to be struggling against Lankan bowlers as, with the aid of AB de Villiers’s half-century, SA managed to post a total of 169 for all out, in the first inning. In reply, Sri Lanka (SL) lost both of their openers, in early overs.
And you see, that’s where the trouble began; well, not for SL but for SA. Lankan legends Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene built the highest in the history and colossal partnership of 624 runs, for the third wicket! In this partnership, Sangakkara scored 287 runs. And Jayawardene, the skipper, scored 374 runs with 43 boundaries and a six, at a strike rate of 65.38.
The duo played 950 deliveries together and SL declared the inning at a massive total of 756 for five. In their second inning, SA batters could score 434 for all out as Lankan legend Muthiah Muralidaran didn’t let the sustain. Sri Lanka won this historic contest by an inning and 153 runs.
3. Brian Lara (375 runs)
Here we go, the third on the list is Brian Lara, again. Lara scored his second-highest individual Test score during the England tour of the West Indies in 1994. It was the fifth match of the five-match Test series, at St. John’s Antigua. Winning the toss, Courtney Walsh led West (WI) elected to bat first.
After losing two early wickets, Lara came at number three and went on to score 375 runs, with 45 boundaries only. Merely 25-year old then, Lara faced 538 deliveries and had to go on for 766 minutes (more than 12 hours) to reach the landmark.
Moreover, West Indies declared at more than a decent total of 593 for five. England then, fought back really well, as they put on the same total, 593 for all out. But, in the end, the Test ended in a draw when WI was batting on 43 for no loss.
2. Matthew Hayden (380 runs)
The second on the list is veteran Australian batter, Matthew Hayden. Hayden scored more than a triple hundred, during the Zimbabwe tour of Australia, in 2003. It was the first Test of the two-match test series, at Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) Ground, Perth. Heath Streak led Zimbabwe, won the toss, and decided to field first.
While, Hayden, opening the inning with Justin Langer, scored a massive score of 380 runs. The 33-year-old then, smashed 38 boundaries and 11 sixes, during his time. Hayden was there, on the field, batting for 622 minutes, nearly 10 and a half hours, scoring runs at a strike rate of 86.95.
Moreover, with Haydens’ contribution and Adam Gilchrists’ not-out century, Australia declared their inning at a huge score of 735 for six. In reply, Zimbabwe scored 239 runs and followed on. In the second inning, Andy Bichel and the whole Aussie bowling unit didn’t let the Zimbabwe batters sustain for long, as they bowled the opponent out for 321. Steve Waugh led Australia to win the match by an innings and 175 runs.
Besides, Hayden in his prime, holds a record for the highest score in the test inning, at the opening position. The left-hand Aussie opener has scored 8625 runs in 184 of his international test innings, with 30 centuries and 29 half-centuries.
1. Brian Lara (400* runs)
It hasn’t been a long time since legendary West Indies (WI) batter Brian Lara smashed a quadruple century in the international test cricket. It was the fourth Test England tour of West Indies 2004, where West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.
Lara, the skipper, came to bat at number three and scored a mammoth individual score of 400 with 43 boundaries and four sixes. The left-hand batter stayed at the crease for 778 mins, around 13 hours! Irritating the mighty England bowlers, the 37-year-old then, had to play 582 balls to achieve the feat. Lara carried the bat, while WI declared the inning at a massive score of 751 for five.
More to the point, in reply, Michael Vaughan-led England managed to score 285 for all out, in their first innings. Following on, in their second inning, England managed to save the test and the Antigua contest ended up being drawn.
Besides, the 53-year-old now has scored 11953 runs in 232 test innings, with 34 hundred and 48 fifties, throughout his international career.
Written By Prachi Pisal
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