Greatest Test Cricket Records of All Time

Highest Scores in Each Batting Position:

Here’s a list of the highest runs scored by players in each batting position in test cricket: 

Opener: Matthew Hayden scored the highest with 380 against Zimbabwe at WACA Ground on October 9, 2003.

Number 3: Brian Lara’s unbeaten 400 against England at Antigua Recreation Ground on April 10, 2004.

Number 4: Mahela Jayawardene’s 374 against South Africa at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on July 27, 2006.

Number 5: Michael Clarke’s 329 not out against India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3, 2012.

Number 6: Ben Stokes scored 258 against South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground on January 2, 2016.

Number 7: Don Bradman’s 270 against England at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 1, 1937.

Number 8: Wasim Akram’s unbeaten 257 against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura Stadium on October 17, 1996.

Number 9: Ian Smith scored 173 against India at Eden Park on February 22, 1990.

Number 10: Walter Read scored 117 against Australia at Kennington Oval on August 11, 1884.

Number 11: Ashton Agar made 98 against England at Trent Bridge on July 10, 2013.

 Most Runs in an Over

• Jasprit Bumrah hit 35 runs against Stuart Broad at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in 2022.
• Brian Lara scored 28 runs against Robin Peterson at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, in 2003–04.
• George Bailey hit 28 runs against James Anderson at WACA, Perth, in 2013–14.
• Keshav Maharaj scored 28 runs against Joe Root at St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, in 2019–20.
• Shahid Afridi made 27 runs against Harbhajan Singh at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, in 2005–06.
• Harry Brook scored 27 runs against Zahid Mahmood at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in 2022–23.

Most Test Centuries

Fastest Test Centuries

• Brendon McCullum holds the record with a century in 54 balls against Australia at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, in 2015–16.
• Viv Richards scored a century in 56 balls against England at Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John’s, in 1985–86.
• Misbah-ul-Haq also achieved a century in 56 balls against Australia at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi 2014.
• Adam Gilchrist made a century in 57 balls against England at WACA Ground, Perth, in 2006–07.
• Jack Gregory achieved a century in 67 balls against South Africa at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg, in 1921–22.

Most Test Double Centuries

• Donald Bradman leads with 12 double-centuries in 52 matches.
• Kumar Sangakkara has 11 double-centuries in 130 matches.
• Brian Lara made 9 double-centuries in 131 matches.
• Wally Hammond, Virat Kohli, and Mahela Jayawardene each have 7 double centuries.

Fastest Test Double Centuries:

• Nathan Astle achieved a double century in 153 balls against England at Jade Stadium, Christchurch, in 2001–02.
• Ben Stokes made a double century in 163 balls against South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town 2016.
• Virender Sehwag scored a double century in 168 balls against Sri Lanka at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, in 2009.
• Virender Sehwag also made a double century in 182 balls against Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, in 2006.
• Brendon McCullum achieved a double century in 186 balls against Pakistan at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, in 2014.

Most Test 50+ Scores

Fastest Test Half-Centuries

• Misbah-ul-Haq scored a half-century in 21 balls against Australia at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, in 2014–15.
• David Warner made a half-century in 23 balls against Pakistan at Sydney Cricket Ground in 2016–17.
• Jacques Kallis achieved a half-century in 24 balls against Zimbabwe at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, in 2004–05.
• Shane Shillingford scored a half-century in 25 balls against New Zealand at Sabina Park, Kingston, in 2014.
• Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Ashraful, and Dale Steyn made a half-century in 26 balls in different seasons and venues.

Most Fours in Career

1. Sachin Tendulkar hit 2058+ fours in 329 innings.
2. Rahul Dravid made 1654 fours in 286 innings.
3. Brian Lara scored 1559 fours in 232 innings.
4. Ricky Ponting hit 1509 fours in 287 innings.
5. Kumar Sangakkara made 1491 fours in 233 innings. 

Most Sixes in Career

• Ben Stokes leads with 124 sixes in 175 innings.
• Brendon McCullum hit 107 sixes in 176 innings.
• Adam Gilchrist scored 100 sixes in 137 innings.
• Chris Gayle made 98 sixes in 182 innings.
• Jacques Kallis hit 97 sixes in 280 innings.

Ducks in Test Cricket

• Courtney Walsh holds the record with 43 ducks in 185 innings from 1984 to 2001.
• Stuart Broad has 39 ducks in 244 innings from 2007 to 2023.
• Chris Martin made 36 ducks in 104 innings from 2000 to 2013.
• Glenn McGrath has 35 ducks in 138 innings from 1993 to 2007.
• Shane Warne made 34 ducks in 199 innings from 1992 to 2007.
• Ishant Sharma has 142 ducks in his career from 2007 to 2021.

Career Wickets Leaders

1. Muttiah Muralitharan: 800 wickets in 133 matches, averaging 22.72.
2. Shane Warne: 708 wickets in 145 matches, averaging 25.41.
3. James Anderson: 690 wickets in 183 matches, averaging 26.42.
4. Anil Kumble: 619 wickets in 132 matches, averaging 29.65.
5. Stuart Broad: 604 wickets in 167 matches, averaging 27.68.

Progression of Career Wickets Record

The record started with Alfred Shaw at 8 wickets and changed hands multiple times until Muttiah Muralitharan reached the current record of 800 wickets.

Fastest to Multiples of 50 Wickets

Achieving milestones of 50, 100, 150, and so on. Notable names include Charlie Turner, George Lohmann, Yasir Shah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Best Career Bowling Average

1. George Lohmann: Averaged 10.75, taking 112 wickets.
2. J. J. Ferris: Averaged 12.70, with 61 wickets.
3. Billy Barnes: Averaged 15.54, securing 51 wickets.
4. Billy Bates: Averaged 16.42, taking 50 wickets.
5. Sydney Barnes: Averaged 16.43, with 189 wickets.

Best Career Strike Rate

1. George Lohmann: A strike rate of 34.1, claiming 112 wickets.
2. Duanne Olivier: A strike rate of 35.3, with 59 wickets.
3. J. J. Ferris: A strike rate of 37.7, securing 61 wickets.
4. Shane Bond: A strike rate of 38.7, with 87 wickets.
5. Kagiso Rabada: A strike rate of 39.7, claiming 280 wickets.

Most 5 Wickets in an Innings

1. Muttiah Muralitharan: Achieved 5 wickets in an innings 67 times.
2. Shane Warne: Achieved 5 wickets in an innings 37 times.
3. Richard Hadlee: Achieved 5 wickets in an innings 36 times.
4. Anil Kumble: Achieved 5 wickets in an innings 35 times.
5. Ravichandran Ashwin and Rangana Herath: Both achieved 5 wickets in an innings 34 times.

Most 10 Wickets in a Match

1. Muttiah Muralitharan: Achieved 10 wickets in a match 22 times.
2. Shane Warne: Achieved 10 wickets in a match 10 times.
3. Richard Hadlee and Rangana Herath: Both achieved 10 wickets in a match 9 times.
4. Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin: Both achieved 10 wickets in a match 8 times.

Most Wickets in a Series

The record for most wickets in a series is held by Sydney Barnes with 49 wickets in the 1913–14 series against South Africa.

Best Figures in an Innings

Jim Laker holds the record with figures of 10–53 against Australia in 1956.

Best Figures in a Match

Jim Laker also holds the record for best figures in a match, claiming 19 wickets against Australia in 1956.

Innings as Captain

Kapil Dev achieved the best figures in an innings as captain, taking 9–83 against West Indies in 1983.

Matches Played Records

1. Sachin Tendulkar: Played 200 matches from 1989 to 2013.
2. James Anderson: Played 183 matches from 2003 to 2023.
3. Steve Waugh: Played 168 matches from 1985 to 2004.
4. Ricky Ponting: Played 168 matches from 1995 to 2012.
5. Stuart Broad: Played 167 matches from 2007 to 2023.

Matches Played as Captain

Graeme Smith holds the record for the most matches played as captain, with 109 matches.

Player-of-the-Match Awards

1. Jacques Kallis: Won 23 Player-of-the-Match awards.
2. Muttiah Muralitharan: Won 19 Player-of-the-Match awards.
3. Wasim Akram and Shane Warne: Both won 17 Player-of-the-Match awards.
4. Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting: Both won 16 Player-of-the-Match awards.

Player-of-the-Series Awards

1. Muttiah Muralitharan: Won 11 Player-of-the-Series awards.
2. R Ashwin: Won 10 Player-of-the-Series awards.
3. Jacques Kallis: Won 9 Player-of-the-Series awards.
4. Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, and Shane Warne: Each won 8 Player-of-the-Series awards.

Partnership Records

In test cricket, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar hold the record for the highest overall partnership runs by a pair, accumulating 6,920 runs.

Conclusion

Test Cricket Records are like a highlight reel of the best moments and players in the longest form of the game. They capture the history and greatness of Test cricket, making it a timeless and exciting part of the sport.