Top 5 Highest Individual Run Scorers in Test Cricket History
Test cricket has always been a very tactical format of the game and has given rise to some wonderful displays of batting in which some players have made outstanding scores. Some players have scored hundreds while others were able to notch up two centuries in a single inning, but only a few were able to go past 300 in a single inning. Here is a list of the top 5 highest player scores in an innings.
Cricket is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a field at the center of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. The primary aim of batting is to score runs, while that of bowling is to dismiss the batsman so that he can’t score runs, as well as to restrict his scoring shots and run rate. In the history of test cricket, there have been many instances where batting sides have scored runs because of individuals playing out of their skins. Sometimes while such innings were not enough for their respective teams to win matches or series, they remained pivotal moments in a player’s career.
#1) Brian Lara – 400* in 582 Balls
Brian Lara remains the only player to have scored 400 in a first-class match. He did it in 2004 while playing for West Indies against England. There are plenty of instances where batsmen have scored 300, but none of them makes his achievement all that more impressive. His unbeaten innings helped him set a record aggregate score (751/5) as well, but it eventually ended up in a draw but he won man-of-the-match for his efforts.
#2) ML Hayden -380 in 437 Balls
At his home ground in Perth, Australia, Hayden scored 380 runs off just 437 balls. His incredible batting helped Australia beat Zimbabwe. He smashed 38 fours and 11 sixes during that innings, which was described as one of Australia’s most important wins ever. It led to them dominating world cricket for a decade afterward.
#3) BC Lara – 375 in 538 Balls
In 1994, Brian Lara of the West Indies ultimately broke Garry Sobers’ record by making 375 runs against England. There were 45fours throughout his innings. In their first innings, the West Indies scored 593/5, while the English team was also all-out for 593 runs. This game finished in a draw. Brian Lara’s fiftieth century was also a globe record at that time.
#4) M. Jayawardene – 374 in 572 Balls
Mahela Jayawardene, a former Sri Lankan captain, played one of the best Test performances of the twenty-first century against South Africa in 2006. With forty-three fours and one six, he scored 374 runs out of 572 balls. It was Sri Lanka’s third consecutive victory over South Africa at home. These accolades make Jayawardene’s performance one of the most remarkable in an innings ever recorded. It is also ranked as the highest individual score for any wicket for Sri Lanka cricket. For such magnificent efforts, Jayawardene became Sri Lanka’s leading-run scorer.
#5) GS Sobers – 365* in 614 balls
Highest Score in a Test Cricket by a batsmen
The highest player score in Test Cricket history belongs to Brian Lara of the West Indies, with a massive 400 runs in an innings against England in 2004. This took place at St. Johns, Antigua, West Indies. However, there have been many other Test cricket players who have scored very high scores over the years that make it into this top 5 list of highest player scores in an innings – most runs in a Test Match. Here’s the list!
| High scores in Test Cricket by a Batsmen | |||||||||||
| Player | Runs | Mins | Balls | 4s | 6s | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date | ||
| 1 | BC Lara | 400* | 778 | 582 | 43 | 4 | West Indies | v England | St John’s | 10-Apr-04 | |
| 2 | ML Hayden | 380 | 622 | 437 | 38 | 11 | Australia | v Zimbabwe | Perth | 09-Oct-03 | |
| 3 | BC Lara | 375 | 766 | 538 | 45 | 0 | West Indies | v England | St John’s | 16-Apr-94 | |
| 4 | DPMD Jayawardene | 374 | 752 | 572 | 43 | 1 | Sri Lanka | v South Africa | Colombo (SSC) | 27-Jul-06 | |
| 5 | GS Sobers | 365* | 614 | – | 38 | 0 | West Indies | v Pakistan | Kingston | 26-Feb-58 | |
Conclusion
No matter how many runs you score in a match, there’s always someone out there who has done better. But just remember: as long as you scored more than one run or got your team across the winning line, you made history. Here are a few legends who did that, some extraordinarily. things with bat in hand. They set new records for highest individual scores in an innings and were then revered for their incredible batting prowess.
