Test cricket is a game of players’ skill and fortitude and temperament. For many years, many renowned batsmen have shown progress in the test cricket field. When a batsman scored the highest individual score in test cricket his most important achievement. In this article, we are presenting the top 5 batsmen with the highest individual score in test format.
Top 5 Batsmen with Highest Individual Score in Test cricket
Brain Lara against England Scored 400 Runs on 10 April 2004
Hayden’s 380-run inning, however, could only hold the record for the longest individual strike for six months. Because Brain Lara played yet another long inning to shatter all previous records. It was a match at the same location against the same opposition. From April 10–14, 2004, England was playing at St. John’s. West Indies batted first and reached 751/5 in their opening innings. But Lara pitched the innings of a lifetime.
He batted for almost 13 hours to become the first man to score 400 runs and was still unbeaten at 400 runs. Thanks to his innings, West Indies declared at 751, beating England by 285 runs in their first inning. With a 466-run deficit, England was compelled to play the follow-on. The game was deemed a draw after the English team performed well and scored 422/5. But Lara’s 400 was the highlight of the match.
Mathew Hayden against Zimbabwe Scored 380 Runs on 9 Oct 2003
On October 9, 2003, Mathew Hayden beat Lara’s record of 375 after nine years. Australia and Zimbabwe were playing each other in Perth. Zimbabwe chooses to bowl first after winning the toss. And Australia took full advantage of the chance. They finished their first inning with a score of 735/6. This resulted from Hayden’s record-breaking innings.
The southpaw hit 38 boundaries and 11 sixes in his 380 run off 437 balls. The greatest individual score in test cricket at the time was that particular inning. In response, Zimbabwe only scored 239 runs in their first inning and was consequently forced to continue. Even worse, they were dismissed for 321 runs in the second inning, losing the game by an inning’s worth of runs. The title of “Man of the Match” went to Hayden.
Brain Lara Scored 375 Runs on April 16, 1994, against England
The only hitter in the history of the sport to reach 375 and over twice in a Test match is Brain Lara. He, therefore, possesses two of the top three individual scores. On April 16, 1994, his 375 came up against England. In the five-match series at St. John’s, it was the fifth test. West Indies elected to bat first after winning the toss and finished their first innings at 593/5 in 180.2 overs.
It was due to Brain Lara’s outstanding performance, which saw him hit a whopping 375 runs off 538 balls, including 45 boundaries. When Mathew Hayden surpassed it, that score was listed as the highest individual score for nine years. England played brilliantly in response to a massive first innings total and was all out at exactly 593 runs. That game ended in a draw after two outstanding efforts from both teams. Lara, though, was outstanding and was named “Man of the Match.”
Mahela Jayawardene Scored 374 Runs in 2006 against South Africa
In 2006, against South Africa, former Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene produced one of the best Test innings of the twenty-first century. Using 572 balls, he scored 374 runs off of them using 43 fours and 1 six. Following their dismissal of the Proteas squad for 169 runs, Sri Lanka achieved a staggering total of 756.5. South Africa put up a valiant effort in the second innings, reaching 434 runs, but ultimately fell short by innings and 153 runs.
Garry Sobers Scored 365 Runs in 1958 against Pakistan
For more than 35 years, former West Indies great Garry Sobers held the record for the greatest individual score in a Test match. In 1958, he produced a superb 365-run inning against Pakistan, with a total of 38 fours. In response to Pakistan’s total of 328 runs, West Indies produced an enormous 790 runs for 3 wickets. The final score was innings and 174 runs in their favor.
Top 10 Batsmen with Highest Individual Score in Test cricket
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Lara | 400* | 582 | 43 | 4 | England | St John’s | 10 Apr 2004 |
| Mathew Hayden | 380 | 437 | 38 | 11 | Zimbabwe | Perth | 9 Oct 2003 |
| Brian Lara | 375 | 538 | 45 | 0 | England | St John’s | 16 Apr 1994 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 374 | 572 | 43 | 1 | South Africa | Colombo (SSC) | 27 Jul 2006 |
| Garry Sobers | 365* | 485 | 38 | 0 | Pakistan | Kingston | 26 Feb 1958 |
| Leonard Hutton | 364 | 847 | 35 | 0 | Australia | The Oval | 20 Aug 1938 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 340 | 578 | 36 | 2 | India | Colombo (RPS) | 2 Aug 1997 |
| Hanif Mohammad | 337 | 428 | 24 | 0 | West Indies | Bridgetown | 17 Jan 1958 |
| Wally Hammond | 336* | 418 | 34 | 10 | New Zealand | Auckland | 31 Mar 1933 |
| David Warner | 335* | 564 | 39 | 1 | Pakistan | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
FAQs
Who is the highest individual score in Test cricket?
In a Test match, West Indies batsman Brian Lara’s 400 against England in 2004 holds the record for the highest individual score. He surpassed Matthew Hayden’s six-month-old record of 380 innings pitched. Lara had previously held the record with a 375 against England eight years prior to Hayden.
Who has the highest individual score on the test for Pakistan?
The highest individual score by a Pakistani cricket player is 337 runs, which Hanif Mohammad scored against the West Indies in 1958.
Who are the batsmen from the current generation that feature in the list of the top 5 highest individual scores in Test cricket?
The list of the top 5 highest individual scores is here.
- Brain Lara
- Mathew Hayden
- Mahela Jayawardene
- Garry Sobers
- Leonard Hutton
Who is the highest-scoring batsman in Test cricket?
India’s Sachin Tendulkar is the all-time leader in runs scored in test matches of cricket. Tendulkar, also known as “The Little Master,” amassed 15,921 test match victories between 1989 and 2013.