India and Pakistan have gone head-to-head 7 times in the ODI Cricket World Cup (Men’s). India has won all 7 out of 7 (1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2019).
Sachin Tendulkar (313), Virat Kohli (193), Rohit Sharma (185), Rohit Sharma (155), and Misbah-ul-Haq (132) are the highest scores in Ind-Pak ODI WC matches. On the other hand, Venkatesh Prasad (8), Javagal Srinath (7), Wahab Riaz (7), Anil Kumble (5), and Mushtaq Ahmed (5) have taken the most wickets in these contests.
The highest score in Indo-Pak matches is Rohit Sharma’s 140, followed by Virat Kohli’s 107, Saeed Anwar’s 101, and Sachin Tendulkar’s 98. On the bowling side, Venkatesh Prasad’s 5/27, Wahab Riaz’a 5/46, Sohail Khan’s 5/55, and Mohammad Shami’s 4/35 are the best figures.
In each of the seven occasions, the team that won the toss chose to bowl first and six times, it was won by the team batting first. Only in 2003, did a team win chasing.
Sachin Tendulkar has won the player of the match award in India-Pakistan World Cup matches thrice, while Navjot Sidhu, Venkatesh Prasad, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma and have each won the award once.
Ground: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney, Australia
Toss:, India won the toss and chose to bowl first
The Story & Memorable Moments
This match will forever be remembered for Javed Miandad’s jumping imitation of Kiran More. Other than that, it was a slow-moving affair. Young Tendulkar’s match-winning fifty and Kapil Dev’s finishing prowess did the job for India despite Mushtaq Ahmed’s double wicket over. Pakistan responded with a slow but steady 88-run partnership between Miandad & Sohail but would collapse from 105/2 to 173 all out.
This game provided us with one of the most iconic India-Pakistan memories: Venkatesh Prasad vs Aamer Sohail.Chasing 289 in the World Cup quarterfinals on the back of Sidhu’s brilliance and steady contribution from the rest of India’s Top 6, the match hung in balance after Pakistan had 84 runs on the board after just 10 overs. After Saeed Anwar departed, Sohail was still looking aggressive.
Sohail vs Prasad ball 1 – hit through the covers and Sohail pointed to Prasad where the ball went. The next ball, CLEAN BOWLED! This is what India-Pakistan games are for. Memories we will cherish forever.
Yet another Venkatesh Prasad special. Dravid, Azharuddin, and Tendulkar each played decent knocks, and Srinath-Prasad’s eight wickets together sealed the victory in a low-scoring contest.
Toss: Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first
The Story & Memorable Moments
If I had to pick one shot from an India-Pakistan Worl Cup match, it is Sachin Tendulkar’s epic upper cut against Shoaib Akthar for a six! This time, Pakistan put int one heck of a battle. Saeed Anwar led the charge with a century, but India chased 275 with 4 overs to spare thanks to Tendulkar’s tremendous knock. Yuvraj Singh & Rahul Dravid did the rest and took India home with a steady 99-run partnership.
Virat Kohli’s love affair with Adelaide & Australia continued. Kohli’s century as well as India’s crunch ICC players – Dhawan & Raina came to the party with quick 70s. Sohail Khan starred with the ball for Pakistan with 5 wickets, but no one aprat from Misbah stood up with the bat as India won by a mammoth 76 runs. It was also the beginning of the brief but brilliant bowling partnership between Umesh-Mohit Sharma, and Mohammad Shami.
Toss: Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first
The Story & Memorable Moments
We can safely say that this was one of the more one-sided India-Pakistan matches. When Kuldeep Yadav bowled one of the balls of the tournament to dismiss Babar Azam for 48, it was all but over in the 24th over.Earlier, India had bludgeoned 336 runs with the help of Rohit Sharma’s magnificent 140, Kohli’s 77, and KL Rahul’s 57. Although Amir took 3 wickets, it just wasn’t the same as the 2016 T20 Asia Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy battle. Oh yeah, and all the rain delays took away from the drama as well.
Who has Scored the Most Runs in India Pakistan ODI World Cup Matches? Top 10 Run Scorers in Ind-Pak CWC Matches
Player
Country
Matches
Runs
Best
100s/50s
Average/Strike Rate
Sachin Tendulkar
India
5
313
98
0/3
78.25/83.24
Virat Kohli
India
3
193
107
1/1
64.33/91.03
Saeed Anwar
Pakistan
3
185
101
1/0
61.66/91.58
Rohit Sharma
India
2
155
140
1/0
77.50/116.54
Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakistan
2
132
76
0/2
66.00/82.50
Mohammad Azharuddin
India
2
118
59
0/1
39.33/80.27
Aamer Sohail
Pakistan
2
117
62
0/2
58.50/82.97
Suresh Raina
India
2
110
74
0/1
110.00/115.78
Rahul Dravid
India
2
105
61
0/1
105.00/63.63
Ajay Jadeja
India
3
97
46
0/0
32.33/83.62
Who has Taken the Most Wickets in India Pakistan ODI World Cup Matches? Top 10 Wicket-Takers in Ind-Pak CWC Matches
Player
Country
Matches
Wickets
Best
4-fer/5-fer
Average/Economy
Venkatesh Prasad
India
2
8
5/27
0/1
9.00/3.69
Javagal Srinath
India
4
7
3/37
0/0
25.14/5.00
Wahab Riaz
Pakistan
3
7
5/46
0/1
23.71/5.53
Anil Kumble
India
3
5
3/48
0/0
28.40/4.73
Mushtaq Ahmed
Pakistan
2
5
3/59
0/0
23.00/5.75
Sohail Khan
Pakistan
1
5
5/55
0/1
11.00/5.50
Zaheer Khan
India
2
4
2/46
0/0
26.00/5.24
Mohammad Shami
India
1
4
4/35
1/0
8.75/3.88
Ashish Nehra
India
2
4
2/33
0/0
26.75/5.35
Waqar Younis
Pakistan
2
4
2/67
0/0
34.50/7.39
Ind vs Pak 2023 World Cup Match
When is Ind vs Pak 2023 World Cup Match?
India vs Pakistan will be held on Saturday, 14 October, 2023 at 2 PM local time. Mark your calendars.
Where will be the 2023 World Cup Ind vs Pak match be held?
The Ind-Pak 2023 WC match will be held in Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be honest. India-Pakistan WC matches have rarely been competitive. There have been moments of enertainment – think Venkatesh Prasad-Sohail, Tendulkar vs Shoaib, Kohli & Rohit’s hundreds, and Wahab Riaz’s 5-fer.
The new generation of Pakistan cricket promises to make this a more even contest – Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rizwan, Shadab, Rauf, and more. For India, this may be the final chance for the likes of Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli.
Whatever happens, whatever the result, I hope the game is played in great spirit, the crowd has a good & safe time, and we get to see a competitive, edge-of-the-seat contest.
That’s all from me. What do you think? Type your prediction below – who do you think will win this upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup match, Pakistan or India?
Pakistan vs India World Cup – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When is India vs Pakistan in the 2023 Cricket World Cup?
India vs Pakistan will be held on Saturday, 14 October, 2023 at 2 PM local time
Who has scored the most runs in India-Pakistan World Cup matches?
Sachin Tendulkar (313), Virat Kohli (193), Rohit Sharma (185), Rohit Sharma (155), and Misbah-ul-Haq (132) are the highest scores in Ind-Pak ODI WC matches. On the other hand, Venkatesh Prasad (8), Javagal Srinath (7), Wahab Riaz (7), Anil Kumble (5), and Mushtaq Ahmed (5) have taken the most wickets in these contests.
Who has taken the most wickets in India-Pakistan World Cup matches?
Can you name the batter with the most runs in Cricket World Cups?
It’s that time—The 2023 ODI World Cup is upon us!
So, let’s dive right in and explore the most prolific batters in men’s ODI Cricket World Cups (CWC). From Ross Taylor to Sachin Tendulkar, here are the most iconic batters to have played in the World Cup.
Table of Contents – Most Runs in Cricket World Cups
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs in Cricket World Cups (Men’s ODI) with 2278 runs, 535 runs ahead of the next best, Ricky Ponting. Ponting (1743), Kumar Sangakkara (1532), Brian Lara (1225), and AB De Villiers (1207) are the others in the Top 5 list of the highest run scorers in ODI World Cups.
21 cricketers have scored over 1,000 runs in ODI World Cups. Sri Lanka (5) features the most in this list followed by India, Australia, West Indies, South Africa (3), New Zealand (2), and Bangladesh & Pakistan (1).
Although most players have played over 30 ODIs, AB De Villiers is a class apart with 1207 runs in just 22 innings. He also boasts an average of 63.2 and a strike rate of 117.29.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored six hundreds in ODI Cricket World Cups followed by Ricky Ponting & Kumar Sangakkara with five each.
Shakib Al Hasan (#9), Virat Kohli (#17), Martin Guptill (#22), David Warner (#23), Rohit Sharma (#25), and Kane Williamson (#30) are the only active ODI players still playing international cricket.
ODI Cricket World Cup Batting Records: Top 21 List of Most Runs in Cricket World Cup (CWC)
1. Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 2278 Runs
Matches/Innings: 45/44
Best: 152
Average: 56.95
Strike Rate: 88.98
100/50: 6/15
ODI World Cups Played: 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Honorable Mentions: Martin Guptill* (995), David Warner* (992), Matthew Hayden (987), Rohit Sharma* (978), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (970), Arjuna Ranatunga (969), Faf du Plessis (926), Saeed Anwar (915), Kane Williamson* (911)
Final Thoughts on the Most Prolific Run Scorers in ODI World Cup History
Ah, the joys of ODI Cricket World Cup!
Every four years, the cricketing world descends into a frenzy of excitement and anticipation.
Which batsman will light up the 2023 ODI World Cup? Can Shakib Al Hasan & Virat Kohli rise to the Top 5? Comment below, we would love to know your thoughts!
Most Runs in Cricket World Cup – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Who has scored the most runs in World Cup cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most runs in Cricket World Cups (Men’s ODI) with 2278 runs, 535 runs ahead of the next best, Ricky Ponting. Ponting (1743), Kumar Sangakkara (1532), Brian Lara (1225), and AB De Villiers (1207) are the others in the Top 5 list of the highest run scorers in ODI World Cups.
2. Which country has scored the most runs in world cup cricket?
21 cricketers have scored over 1,000 runs in ODI World Cups. Sri Lanka (5) features the most in this list followed by India, Australia, West Indies, South Africa (3), New Zealand (2), and Bangladesh (1).
3. Who has scored the most runs for India in ODI World Cups?
Sachin Tendulkar (2278), Virat Kohli (1030), and Sourav Ganguly (1006) have scored the most runs for India in ODI cricket world cups.
Who has the most man of the match awards in international cricket? Which countries have consistently produced the most match-winners?
Here is everything you need to know about the player of the match awards in cricket history.
Key Takeaways
Sachin Tendulkar (76), Virat Kohli (63), Sanath Jayasuriya (58), Jacques Kallis (57), and Kumar Sangakkara (50) have the most man of the match awards in international cricket across formats.
Jacques Kallis (23), Muttiah Muralitharan (19), Wasim Akram & Shane Warne (17), Ricky Ponting & Kumar Sangakkara (16) have the most man of the match awards in Test cricket. Tendulkar (62), Jayasuriya (48), Kohli (38), and Kallis, Ponting, Afridi (32) have the most MOM awards in ODI cricket. Finally, Virat Kohli (15), Rohit Sharma (12), and Shahid Afridi, Shakib Al Hasan, David Warner (11) have the most MOM awards in T20I cricket.
India & Sri Lanka top this list with 6 match-winners each, while Pakistan (5), Australia & West Indies, (4), South Africa (3), Bangladesh & New Zealand (1) complete it. Surprisingly, England have zero players in this list.
21 batters, eight all-rounders, and only one pure bowler (Muralitharan) make up the list of the top 30 most man of the match awards in international cricket. Three wicketkeeper-batters (Sangakkara, AB De Villiers, and Adam Gilchrist) also feature in the list.
Viv Richards (13.3%) and Virat Kohli (12.6%) have the highest percentage of player of the match awards per game.
When we talk about cricket and the greatest match winner in international cricket, there’s one name that stands out – Sachin Tendulkar. He is a legend, and he’s received the awards to prove it. He holds the record for the most Man of the Match awards in international cricket. Talk about being a match-winner!
But let’s not forget about other greats like Virat Kohli, Jacques Kallis, and Sanath Jayasuriya. These guys have also shown time and time again that they can step up and deliver when it matters most. They’ve racked up their fair share of Man of the Match awards. There are several others that do not make the list but are great match-winners in their own right – MS Dhoni, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Steve Smith, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rashid Khan, Shane Watson, Dale Steyn, Jimmy Anderson, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Kane Williamson, etc.
So, there you have it.
These cricketers have left a long-lasting mark on the game, and fans will never forget their contributions. They truly embody what cricket is all about – talent, spirit, and the will to win. And that’s why we love this game, right?
Frequently Asked Questions – Most Man of the Match Awards in International Cricket
Who has won the most man of the match awards in international cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar (76), Virat Kohli (63), Sanath Jayasuriya (58), Jacques Kallis (57), and Kumar Sangakkara (50) have the most man of the match awards in international cricket across formats.
Who has won the most player of the match awards in Test cricket?
Jacques Kallis (23), Muttiah Muralitharan (19), Wasim Akram & Shane Warne (17), Ricky Ponting & Kumar Sangakkara (16) have the most player of the match awards in Test cricket.
Who has won the most player of the match awards in ODI cricket?
Tendulkar (62), Jayasuriya (48), Kohli (38), and Kallis, Ponting, Afridi (32) have won the most player of the match awards in ODI cricket.
Who has won the most player of the match awards in T20I cricket?
Virat Kohli (15), Rohit Sharma (12), and Shahid Afridi, Shakib Al Hasan, David Warner (11) have the most player of the match awards in T20I cricket.
Who has the most centuries in international cricket across formats?
Sachin Tendulkar (100), Virat Kohli (75), and Ricky Ponting (71) have the most centuries in international cricket across formats.
In cricket, the scoring a century is the landmark achievement that separates the good from the greats. In this brief overview, we’ll look into the top 10 cricketers with the most centuries across formats.
But here’s the real kicker: Can Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar’s hundreds record? Let’s dive in and explore.
India – 3 (Tendulkar, Kohli, Dhoni), South Africa – 3 (Kallis, Amla, AB De Villers), and Sri Lanka – 2 (Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene) feature the most in this list.
Virat Kohli scores a century quicker than anyone else in the list (a century every 7.42 innings) followed by Sachin Tendulkar (7.82) and Hashim Amla (7.95).
Sachin Tendulkar (34357), Kumar Sangakkara (28016), and Ricky Ponting (27483) have scored the most runs along with their centuries while Hashim Amla (18672) and AB De Villiers (20014) have the least number of runs in this list.
Sachin Tendulkar (264), Ricky Ponting (217), and Kumar Sangakkara (216) have scored the most 50+ scores across formats.
Among the Fab Four Virat Kohli (75) leads the charge with Joe Root (46), Steve Smith (44), and Kane Williamson (41) bunched close together to each other. David Warner (45) and Rohit Sharma (43) are the other active players in the Top 21 list of most centuries list.
Cricket Batting Records (Test + ODI + T20I): Top 10 List of Most Century Makers Across Formats
The 100s/Innings is calculated by the number of innings played across formats divided by the number of international centuries. Be careful though, this number might be slightly skewed. For example, Sachin Tendulkar’s ratio is 7.82 innings per hundred, while Kohli’s ratio is 7.42 innings per century.
Sounds pretty close, right? However, if we dissect this further, Virat Kohli has 74 centuries in 450 Tests/ODIs at an absurd average of 6.08 innings per hundred. Since he has played more T20Is (107 innings) than others, his overall ratio is closer to Tendulkar.
Note: * denotes players that are still active in international cricket.
1. Sachin Tendulkar (100 – 51 Tests/49 ODIs), India
Matches/Innings: 664/782
100s/Innings:7.82 (One Hundred scored every 7-9 innings across format)
Here are the honorable mentions. These players all have scored 40 or more centuries in international cricket.
Rank
Country
Player (Hundreds)
Matches/Innings
100s/Innings
Runs
50+ Scores
11
England
Joe Root* (46)
322/419
9.11
18296
145 (46 – 100s, 99 – 50s)
12
Australia
David Warner* (45)
347/432
9.6
17262
131 (45 -100s, 86 – 50s)
13
Australia
Steve Smith* (44)
304/352
8
15060
114 (44 – 100s, 70 – 50s)
14
India
Rohit Sharma* (43)
441/461
10.72
17115
134 (43 – 100s, 91 – 50s)
15
West Indies
Chris Gayle (42)
483/551
13.12
19593
147 (42 – 100s, 105 – 50s)
16
Sri Lanka
Sanath Jayasuriya (42)
586/651
15.5
21032
145 (42 – 100s, 103 – 50s)
17
New Zealand
Kane Williamson* (41)
342/402
9.80
17142
133 (41 – 100s, 92 – 50s)
18
Pakistan
Younis Khan (41)
408/491
11.96
17790
124 (41 – 100s, 83 – 50s)
19
West Indies
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (41)
454/553
13.49
20988
166 (41 – 100s, 125 – 50s)
20
Australia
Matthew Hayden (40)
273/348
8.49
15066
109 (40 -100s, 69 – 50s)
21
New Zealand
Ross Taylor (40)
450/510
12.75
18199
133 (40 -100s, 93 – 50s)
Can Virat Kohli Break Sachin Tendulkar’s Record of Hundreds?
Yes, Virat Kohli can break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most hundreds in cricket, given that he continues playing for a couple more years.
Currently, Virat Kohli is 25 short of Sachin Tendulkar’s world record, but he has also played 225 less innings. At Virat Kohli’s rate of one century every 7.43 innings, Virat Kohli can break Tendulkar’s hundred 100s record if he plays about 186 more innings.
Stas are just there to support the overarching idea, but Kohli looks refreshed since Asia Cup 2022 after three-year drought. He is back at his best with centuries in each format (as well as the IPL). One thing to consider though is overkill in cricket. On the other hand, Virat Kohli might go the AB De Villiers route and retire early due to way too much cricket.
Final Thoughts
These top 10 cricketers have left a significant impact on the sport with their exceptional performances and numerous centuries. Their contributions to the game command respect and admiration.
Now, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli.
We eagerly watch as his journey comes to an end in the next few years, with a question on everyone’s mind: Will he surpass Sachin Tendulkar’s monumental record, what do you say?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has scored the most centuries in international cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar has the most centuries in international cricket (100). He has scored 51 centuries in Test cricket as well as 49 centuries in ODI cricket.
Which Indian cricketer has the most centuries in international cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar (100), Virat Kohli (75), and Rahul Dravid (48) have the most centuries in international cricket for India across formats.
Which team has the most centuries in international cricket?
India – 3 (Tendulkar, Kohli, Dhoni), South Africa – 3 (Kallis, Amla, AB De Villers), and Sri Lanka – 2 (Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene) are in the top of the list for the most centuries in international cricket.
Today, we will look at the cricketers who have scored the most Test runs. Can you guess how many cricketers have made over 10000 Test runs?
With a combination of skill and determination, players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara have rewritten the record books with their extraordinary batting feats. Read on to find out more about these legendary batters and their remarkable run hauls in Test cricket!
Sachin Tendulkar (15921), Ricky Ponting (13378), Jacques Kallis (13289), Rahul Dravid (13288), and Alastair Cook (12472) are the top 5 runs scorers in cricket history.
Among the Fab 4 and active cricketers, Joe Root has scored the most Test runs (11178). Steve Smith (9085), Virat Kohli (8479), David Warner (8247), and Kane Williamson (8124) follow Root.
Australia has produced 3 players with 10000+ scores (8 total with 8000+ scores) as well as India – 3 players with 10000+ scores (6 total with 8000+ runs). Next, we have England – 2 (7 total), West Indies – 2 (4 total) Sri Lanka – 2 (2 total), South Africa – 1 (4 total), Pakistan – 1 (3 total). New Zealand has produced just one player with 8000+ Test runs.
35 cricketers have scored 8000+ Test runs, 16 cricketers have scored 9000+ Test runs. Among the 16, only 14 cricketers have scored 10000+ Test runs, 11 have scored 11000+, six have scored 12000+, four have 13000+, and only Sachin Tendulkar has 15000 runs.
Among 10000 run scorers in Test cricket, Kumar Sangakkara has the highest average at 57.40, while Alastair Cook has the lowest average at 45.35. Among the top 35 run scorers, Steve Smith currently has the highest Test average at 59.39 and Alec Stewart had the lowest average at 39.54.
Most Test Runs: 10000+ Runs Scorer in Test Cricket
1. Sachin Tendulkar (15921 Runs), India
Years Played: 1989-2013
Tests/Innings: 200/329
Average: 53.78
Sachin Tendulkar, widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time, holds the record for the most runs in Test cricket with a staggering 15,921 runs.
Ricky Ponting holds the record for the second highest run scorer in Test cricket with 13378 runs. His strong batting technique and his excellent captaincy made him one of the most successful captains in the history of cricket. He was known for playing attacking strokes and leading from the front.
Jacques Kallis comes in next as the third-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 13289 runs. His is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders and versatile players of all time. He had a great eye for picking gaps and was able to score big runs quickly.
Rahul Dravid, often referred to as ‘The Wall’, is at fourth place with 13288 runs in Test cricket. His ability to grind out long innings and score big runs made him one of the most dependable batsmen for India over a period of time.
Alastair Cook is the fifth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 12472 runs. His ability to bat for long periods of time and put a price on his wicket made him one of the most reliable batsmen for England. He was also known for his excellent technique and strong defense against spin bowling.
Kumar Sangakkara is the sixth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket with 12400 runs. His unmatched batting technique, quick footwork, and ability to score big runs quickly made him one of the most feared batsmen in world cricket. He was known for his calmness under pressure and his ability to play match-winning knocks.
Brian Lara is the seventh-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 11953 runs. His attacking strokeplay, elegant batting style, and penchant for scoring big centuries made him one of the most entertaining batsmen to watch. He was known for his ability to change the course of a game with crucial knocks under pressure.
8. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11867 Runs), West Indies
Years Played: 1994-2015
Tests/Innings: 164/280
Average: 51.37
Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the eighth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 11867 runs. His ability to bat for long periods of time, his unconventional batting style and technique, and his patience made him one of the most dependable batsmen for West Indies. He was known for his defensive game and his ability to bat out tough periods.
Mahela Jayawardene is the ninth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 11814 runs. His elegant batting style, strong footwork, and ability to score big runs quickly made him one of the most dangerous batsmen in world cricket. He was known for his ability to take control of a game with his match-winning knocks.
Joe Root is currently eleventh-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 11168 runs. His strong batting technique, attacking strokes, and ability to score big runs has made him one of the most dangerous batsmen in world cricket in the modern era.
Allan Border is the tenth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 11174 runs. He was known for his ability to bat for long periods of time, his strong defensive technique, and his aggressive stroke play. He was the cornerstone of the Australian team during their successful period in world cricket.
Steve Waugh is the twelfth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 10927 runs. He was known for his ability to bat for long periods of time, his strong defensive technique, and his aggressive style. He captained Australia during their golden period of world cricket and had a knack for playing match-winning knocks.
Sunil Gavaskar is the thirteenth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 10122 runs. The original ‘Little Master,’ he was known for his defensive technique, strong footwork, and ability to grind out long innings. His ability to score big centuries under pressure made him one of the most reliable batsmen for India over a period of time.
Younis Khan is the fourteenth-highest run scorer in Test cricket with 10099 runs. His match-winning knocks under pressure made him one of the most dependable batsmen for Pakistan over a period of time.
List of the Top 35 Highest Runs Scorer in Test Cricket: From Sachin Tendulkar to Mark Waugh
Here are the cricketers with 8000 or more runs in Test cricket. 35 cricketers have broken the 8000-run mark.
Player
National Team
Runs
Matches/ Innings
Average
Years Played
1. Sachin Tendulkar
India
15921
200/329
53.78
1989-2013
2. Ricky Ponting
Australia
13378
168/287
51.85
1995-2012
3. Jacques Kallis
South Africa
13289
166/280
55.37
1995-2013
4. Rahul Dravid
India
13288
164/286
52.31
1996-2012
5. Alastair Cook
England
12472
161/291
45.35
2006-2018
6. Kumar Sangakkara
Sri Lanka
12400
134/233
57.40
2000-2015
7. Brian Lara
West Indies
11953
131/232
52.88
1990-2006
8. Shivnarine Chanderpaul
West Indies
11867
164/280
51.37
1994-2015
9. Mahela Jayawardene
Sri Lanka
11814
149/252
49.84
1997-2014
10. Allan Border
Australia
11174
156/265
50.56
1978-1994
11. Joe Root*
England
11168
131/240
50.76
2012-
12. Steve Waugh
Australia
10927
168/260
51.06
1985-2004
13. Sunil Gavaskar
India
10122
125/214
51.12
1971-1987
14. Younis Khan
Pakistan
10099
118/213
52.05
2000-2017
15. Hashim Amla
South Africa
9282
124/215
46.64
2004-2019
16. Graeme Smith
South Africa
9265
117/205
48.25
2002-2014
17. Steve Smith*
Australia
9085
99/175
59.76
2010-
18. Graham Gooch
England
8900
118/215
42.58
1975-1995
19. Javed Miandad
Pakistan
8832
124/189
52.57
1976-1993
20. Inzamam-ul-Haq
Pakistan
8830
120/200
49.60
1992-2007
21. VVS Laxman
India
8781
134/225
45.97
1996-2012
22. AB De Villiers
South Africa
8765
114/191
50.66
2004-2018
23. Michael Clarke
Australia
8643
115/198
49.10
2004-2015
24. Matthew Hayden
Australia
8625
103/184
50.73
1994-2009
25. Virender Sehwag
India
8586
104/180
49.34
2001-2013
26. Vivian Richards
West Indies
8540
121/182
50.23
1974-1991
27. Virat Kohli*
India
8479
109/185
48.72
2011-
28. Alec Stewart
England
8463
133/235
39.54
1990-2003
29. David Warner*
Australia
8247
105/191
45.06
2011-
30. David Gower
England
8231
117/204
44.25
1978-1992
31. Kevin Pietersen
England
8181
104/181
47.28
2005-2014
32. Kane Williamson*
New Zealand
8124
94/164
54.89
2010-
33. Geoffrey Boycott
England
8114
108/193
47.82
1964-1982
34. Garfield Sobers
West Indies
8032
93/160
57.78
1854-1974
35. Mark Waugh
Australia
8029
128/209
41.81
1991-2002
Final Thoughts
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Most Test Runs
How many batsmen have 10,000 Test scores?
14 cricketers have scored 10,000+ runs in Test cricket history. Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Alastair Cook, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brian Lara, Joe Root, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar, and Younis Khan have all scored over 10000 Test runs.
Which player has the most runs in Test cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar (15921) has scored the most runs in Test cricket.
Who was the first batsman to score 10,000 Test runs?
Sunil Gavaskar was the first batter to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
What lessons can we learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life?
Today is a day of great reflection because today we celebrate the 50th birthday of the great Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, SRT, or the ‘God of Cricket’—regardless of how you referred to him, for most cricket fans between 1989 and 2013—the love of cricket coincided with the love of Sachin. He represented hope, excellence, and discipline for billions of people around the world.
Let’s reflect back on those 24 precious years and see what we can learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s life. Or at least here is what Sachin Tendulkar taught me.
7 Lessons We Can All Learn from Sachin Tendulkar’s Life
1. We Must Accept Finite Disappointment, but Never Lose Infinite Hope
Quote By: Martin Luther King Jr.
After Kapil Dev & his men lifted the 1983 Cricket World Cup trophy, playing cricket for India and lifting the World Cup became a dream for every schoolboy. Sachin was no different. Fast forward three years into his career, he was selected for the 1992 ODI World Cup.
First time, no luck. Then, 1996 semi-final happened. Sachin Tendulkar stumped. Eden Gardens stunned. India collapse—A common sight in the nineties. It was followed by 1999 hardships & disappointment, 2003 (Final – so close, yet so far), and last, but certainly not the least, the 2007 Cricket World Cup. India crashed out in the group stage. It seemed to be curtains on Sachin Tendulkar’s lifelong dream.
Life Lesson 1: Disappointments are a part and parcel of life. The important thing is to never lose sight of the hope, dream, or end goal you have deep down. If you persevere and keep at it, who knows, maybe one day that dream may come true.
Quote By: Late American basketball legend Kobe Bryant (and quote from his English teacher, Mr. Fisk) while accepting the ESPY ICON AWARD
This speech is so beautiful, it is worth writing it in full here.
“We are not on this stage just due to talent or ability. We are up here because of 4 AM. We are up here because of two-a-days. Or five-a-days. We are up here because we had a dream and let nothing stand in our way. If anything tried to bring us down, we used it to get stronger. We were never satisfied. Never finished. We’ll never be retired. My high school English Teacher, Mr. Fisk. He had this beautiful quote, ‘Rest at the end. Not in the Middle.’ And I took that to heart. I believe there is time to rest at the end, but the time is not now.”
– Kobe BryanT
Just like Kobe Bryant and other legendary sports stars around the world, Tendulkar had to work hard for it.
Sachin Tendulkar was definitely a gifted a cricketer, but that alone did not make him great. Sure, he had natural timing and great hand-eye coordination, but he still had to put in the hard yards. Hours and hours in the nets, days and days in the Bombay Maidans under the sun, honing his technique slowly but surely. One day at a time, he got better. And he just never stopped.
Life Lesson 2: What differentiates excellence from just adequate performance is the work ethic. To achieve greatness in any field, the end result is directly proportional to the amount of work you put in.
3. The Price of Anything is the Amount of Life You Exchange For It
Quote by: Henry David Thoreau, American philosopher and writer
From an outsider’s point of view, Sachin Tendulkar was a superstar and public figure. But this definitely came at a cost. Staying away from family for the better portion of two decades, always being under media pressure, recovering from career threatening injuries, and maintaining international level fitness would not have been easy.
Life Lesson 3: Sacrifice.Whether that is time, family, plans with friends, delicious food, sacrifice in some extent is necessary to progress to the next level.
4. Sometimes It is the People No One Can Imagine of who do the Things No One Can Imagine
Quote By: Alan Turing, Father of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence
Who would have thought that a 5-foot four schoolboy from Mumbai become the first ODI double centurion, go on to score hundred 100s, and become the idol that would inspire a nation of a billion?And even after he debuted for India, not many could have imagined the scale at which Tendulkar was able to conquer the cricketing world. There have been many 16- & 17-year-old debutants in cricket, but none like Sachin.
Life Lesson 4: If you can put your mind to it and imagine the impossible, you can achieve the impossible. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that you that cannot do something.
5. Only Those Who Will Risk Going Too Far Can Possibly Find Out How Far One Can Go
Quote By: T.S. Eliot, American Poet
Tendulkar did not stop until he reached the height of individual excellence. Sunil Gavaskar, the original ‘Little Master’ had set the bar with 10,000 Test runs and 34 Test centuries. How far would Sachin go? 35? 50? Once he got past, he did not stop. 34,347 runs across formats, scoring hundred 100s and 164 fifties, he finally hung up his boots. But by the time he was done, he had expanded the horizons of what batting excellence looks like.
Life Lesson 5: Beware of complacency. Take some risks. How far can you push the barriers in your profession?
Sachin Tendulkar had the weight of a nation’s expectations but never showed it. He always carried himself with grace and did not let the public know about the stress and mental pressure he must have been going through. That, my friends, is courage.
Life Lesson 6:It is more important how you carry yourself rather than what you achieve.
7. Without Continual Growth and Progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.
Quote By: Benjamin Franklin, American writer, thinker, politician, scientist, diplomat, printer, publisher, everything.
With such a long career, ups and downs are bound to occur.Teams figured out some of his weaknesses, injuries occurred, and so did prolonged loss of form. What mattered was that Sachin continued to reinvent himself and bring out a new version to overcome certain obstacles. Prime examples are the 241* in Sydney when he famously gave up the cover drive & the second wind in 2010 (at the age of 37, he dominated the South African bowling attack, scored double centuries, and looked fluent as ever).
Life Lesson 7: Keep the curiosity alive and continue to learn. You can only make substantial progress if you struggle initially, experiment with possible solutions, and ultimately overcome the challenges. Lather, rinse, and repeat.
Sacrifice, patience, longevity, work ethic, reinvention, curiosity, grace. The list goes on. We can learn so much from Sachin Tendulkar, a cool head on broad shoulders that taught a country how to excel, win, and most importantly, dream.
What life lesson has Sachin instilled in you? What has he meant to you?
Other Articles on Cricket, Philosophy, and Life Lessons
If you liked this article, be sure to check these articles below on Cricket Life Lessons:
On Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th birthday, here are all of Sachin Tendulkar centuries in one place. Everything you ever wanted to known about Tendulkar’s 100 hundreds.
Let’s begin—Sachin Tendulkar’s Centuries (The Definitive Guide).
Sachin Tendulkar scored 51 Test centuries & 49 ODI centuries in his career.
Tendulkar scored 10 centuries in Sri Lanka, 9 in South Africa, and 7 each in Australia, England, and Bangladesh. In all, he scored 29 Test centuries overseas and 22 at home in India. Interestingly, Tendulkar also scored 29 ODI centuries overseas (12 away, 17 neutral) and 20 at home.
Sachin’s favorite opponent, by far, was Australia. He scored 20 centuries (and 31 fifties) against Australia, 17 vs Sri Lanka, 12 vs South Africa, 9 vs England & New Zealand, 8 vs Zimbabwe, and 7 each against West Indies and Bangladesh.
1998 was Tendulkar’s best year in terms of centuries (12 hundreds, 8 fifties), followed by 8 hundreds (11 fifties) in 1996, and 8 tons (7 fifties) in 1999. Although Tendulkar only scored 3 hundreds in 2007, he was in good form and scored 19 fifties (several 90s that year as well).
Tendulkar never scored a century in Ireland (best of 99), Canada (best of 89*), and Kenya (best of 69).
Sachin Tendulkar had nervous nineties scores 28 times! (10 – Tests, 28 – ODIs). In 27 of those occasions, he was dismissed and was only unbeaten once when he scored 96*.
Tendulkar Hundreds – Major Career Timeline
#1 vs England (1990) – 1st Test Century
#5 vs England (1993) – 1st Century on Home Soil
#8 vs Australia (1994) – 1st ODI Century
#25 vs Sri Lanka (1997)
#30, #31 vs Australia (1998) – The Sharjah Centuries
#44 vs New Zealand (1999) – First Test double century
#50 vs Zimbabwe (2001)
#71 vs Bangladesh (2004) – Highest Test score of 248*
#73 – 35th Test Century – Broke Sunil Gavaskar’s longstanding recordof 34 Test hundreds
#75 vs West Indies (2006)
#93 – 200* vs South Africa – Tendulkar breaks the ODI Double Century Barrier
#97 vs South Africa (2011) – Last Test Century
#100 vs Bangladesh (2012) – Last ODI Century
Sachin Tendulkar Centuries – Fun Facts
53% of Tendulkar’s centuries resulted in victories (33 ODI wins, 20 Test wins), 25% of his hundreds resulted in losses (14 ODI losses, 11 Test losses), and the rest 22% resulted in some form of a draw (20 Test draws, 1 Tied ODI, 1 No Result ODI).
When he scored a century, Sachin won 45 Player of the Match awards – 12 in Test cricket (5 Won, 5 Drawn, 2 Lost) and 33 in ODI cricket (30 Won, 3 Lost).
Sachin Tendulkar scored 22 hundreds in tri-series tournaments, 7 centuries in multi-nation ICC tournaments (6 World Cup hundreds & 1 in 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy/ Wills International Cup), and 4 centuries in quadrangular tournaments. Hence, he scored 33/49 centuries in tournament play and 16 in bilateral series.
By batting positions, Tendulkar’s hundreds are categorized as follows: In Tests (2 tons at #6, 5 at #5, and 44 at #4) and in ODIs (2 tons at #1, 4 at #4, and 46 at #2).
In ODIs, he scored 32 hundreds in the first innings and 17 tons while chasing. In Tests, the distribution was 20 (1st innings), 18 (2nd), 10 (3rd), and 3 (4th).
Sachin Tendulkar – Batting Stats
Here is Sachin Tendulkar’s record in a nutshell.
Note: T20I stats are omitted since he only played one T20I and scored 10 runs.
Matches/Innings
Runs
100s
50s
Average/Strike Rate
Best Score
Tests
200/329
15921
51
68
53.78
248*
ODIs
463/452
18426
49
96
44.83/86.23
200*
List of International Centuries by Sachin Tendulkar
Here is the detailed list of each of Sachin Tendulkar’s centuries in chronological order. Scorecards, photographs, and most highlight reels are attached beneath each innings. Be sure to check them out!
Special thanks to the photographers for the iconic pictures, Rob Moody (robelinda2), and other content creators on YouTube that help us relive Sachin Tendulkar’s hundreds for years and years to come.
1. 119* vs England, 1990, Old Trafford (Test)
Format: Test (1st Test Century)
Opposition: England
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester, England
Result: Match Drawn, Player of the Match (POTM) – 68 & 119*
Batting Position: #6 (4th Innings)
Context:On Day 5, India had to chase down 408 runs and were struggling at 109/4 when Sachin, Kapil Dev, and Manoj Prabhakar batted through the day and drew the game. Tendulkar won the player of the match award for 68 & 119*.
Context:This match is known for Ravi Shastri’s 206 as an opener. On the other end, was the Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar. He came in at 201/4 and remained unbeaten as India scored 483.
Venue: WACA (Western Australia Cricket Association) Ground, Perth, Australia
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:India lost the match by 300 runs and the series 4-0. There was one bright light though – Sachin Tendulkar was promoted at #4 in the first innings and took India to a respectable 272. Due to the tough Perth pitch, this is considered one of Tendulkar’s best knocks. The next highest score was Kiran More’s 43 at #10.
Venue: New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (2nd innings)
Context:Against a pace attack of Allan Donald, Brian McMillan, and Craig Matthews, Sachin Tendulkar scored a six-hour long 111 (270) when the next best score was just 25.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 165
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:As India posted their highest total at that time (560/6 dec) against England in India, Sachin scored his first century at home. With Sidhu, also scoring a century at the other end, they amassed a 147-run partnership. Sachin Tendulkar’s first player of the match award at home.
Context:Yet another Sidhu-Tendulkar partnership resulted in India posting a massive 511 run total. Sidhu scored 124 with 8 sixes & 9 fours, while Tendulkar scored 142 with 22 fours.
Tournament: Singer World Series 1994 (SL, Ind, Aus, Pak)
Context:Opening the batting, Sachin scored his first ODI ton as an opener and won his first ODI player of the match trophy. With some support from Azharuddin & Vinod Kambli, Tendulkar’s 110 made sure India reached a competitive 246 and won the match.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur, India
Result: Match Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:The Sidhu-Sachin partnership struck once again. From 49-2, these two took India to 226. By the time Tendulkar was done, India had put up 444. India would end up making 546/9 declared.
Context:Sachin scored a mammoth 137, but his innings was cut short with a run out. India scored 271, but Sanath Jayasuriya’s new style of play took Sri Lanka home.
Tournament: Singer Cup 1995/96 (Tri Series: Pak, SL, Ind)
Context:Tendulkar was India’s only major contributor as India were bundled for 226. Aamer Sohail & Saeed Anwar completed the rain-affected target of 190 runs in just 28 overs. This was his first ton against Pakistan.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 118 & 2/40
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Pepsi Sharjah Cup (Tri Series: SA, Ind, Pak)
Context:Another 231-run partnership with Navjot Singh Sidhu to take India to a score of 305/5. Pakistan made a run for the chase but were all out for 277. Tendulkar had a role to play with the ball as well figures of 7.1-0-40-2.
Context:Trailing 99-runs already in the first innings, India were 36/4 when captain Azharuddin departed. Tendulkar replied with a masterclass of 122 when the next best was Sanjay Manjrekar’s 18.India would go on to lose the Test, but the legend and class of Sachin Tendulkar continued to grow.
Context:Tendulkar scored 177 & 74 in this Test, but this series was known for the find of Sourav Ganguly (and Rahul Dravid). The Tendulkar-Ganguly duo put together a 255-run partnership for the third wicket as India made 521. Ganguly earned the player of the match and series trophies, and India’s next generation was now in motion.
Tournament: Singer World Series (SL, Aus, Ind, Zim)
Context:Captaining India for the first time, Tendulkar’s hundred took India to 226. However, it was the arch-nemesis, Sanath Jayasuriya, whose century overshadowed Tendulkar once again.
Context:This was Tendulkar’s first century when he took first strike in the opening partnership. India posted 267 and demolished the Proteas. End of a succesful hundred-filled year for Tendulkar.
Context:India were struggling at 58/5, when Tendulkar & Azharuddin stitched together a 222-run partnership. India would go on to lose the Test with Brian McMillan’s all-round show.
Tournament: Pepsi Independence Cup 1997 (Pak, SL, Ind, NZ)
Context:The beginnings of the prolific Ganguly-Tendulkar opening partnership in ODIs. They broke the back of the 221-run chase with a 169-run partnership. When Tendulkar got out, India only need 5 runs to win.
Context:Will forever be remembered as the infamous 952/6 game after India declared their innings for 537/8. Tendulkar’s 143 was the third highest score of the game after Jayasuriya’s 340 & Roshan Mahanama’s 225.
Context:The trio of Indian cricket came to the party in another high run-fest draw against Sri Lanka – Dravid (93), Ganguly (173), and Tendulkar (148).
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 155*
Batting Position: #4 (3rd Innings)
Context:Australia had gained a first innings lead, but with Tendulkar’s hundred and fifties from Sidhu, Dravid, and Azhar, India were able to come back in the match.
Context:Tendulkar’s 177 took India to a first innings total of 424, but hundreds from the Marks (Waugh & Taylor) as well Kasprowicz’s bowling show gave Australia a rare victory on Indian soil.
Tournament: Pepsi Triangular Series (Ind, Aus, Zim)
Context:A 175-run opening partnership between Ganguly and Tendulkar meant India chased 223 in style. The year of Tendulkar against the mighty Aussiese.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 143 & 1/27
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Coco-Cola Cup 1997/98 (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, NZ)
Context:In the chase of 276 in 46 overs, Tendulkar single-handedly dragged India close. When he got out, he had scored 143 out of India’s 242 runs. With 21 balls remaining, India could only add 8 more runs. Established Tendulkar as a living legend.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 134
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Final, Coca-Cola Cup 1997/98 (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, NZ)
Context:Two days later, same venue, same opposition, almost similar situation. Different result. Chasing 273 in 50 overs, Tendulkar bludgeoned134 runs but departed with 30 runs still to go. This time, though, with help from Azharuddin, Jadeja, and Kanitkar, India won the Final. These two contests in Sharjah marked the beginning of the Warne-Tendulkar rivalry.
Context:Putting together a 252-run opening partnership with Ganguly, Tendulkar led India to a competitive 307 in the final of the tri-series. Sri Lanka came close, courtesy a century by Aravinda de Silva, but lost by 6 runs.
Venue: Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Result: Won, (POTM) – 141 & 4/38
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Wills International Cup 1998/99 (WI, SA, Ind, SL, Pak, Aus, Eng, Zim, NZ)
Context:Tendulkar’s glorious year against Australia continued with a blistering century as well as a bowling performance. Opened the innings and continued the carnage till the 46th over, when the score was already 280.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 118*
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Coca-Cola Champions Trophy 1998/99 (Tri Series: Ind, Zim, SL)
Context:Another dominating chase by Sachin. He scored 118 out of 197 runs and finished the chase in 40.4 overs. His strike rate was 105.35 when the next best for India was Ganguly at 57.14.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Won, (POTM) – 124* & 1/16
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Tournament: Coca-Cola Champions Trophy 1998/99 Final (Tri Series: Ind, Zim, SL)
Context:Almost similar to his previous century. Chasing 197 against Zimbabwe, this time Tendulkar helped India score the runs in 30 overs. India won by 10 wickets – Tendulkar 124* (92) at 134.18 & Ganguly 63* (90) at 70.00 strike rate.
Context:Trailing New Zealand by 144 runs, Tendulkar’s century and contributions from almost every batter took India to a competitive 356 runs. The Craigs – McMillan and Cairns ensured that New Zealand get to the target of 214 without any hiccups.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 1/10 & 2/35, 136
Batting Position: #4 (4th Innings)
Context:A thriller of a Test match, and Tendulkar’s masterclass in the fourth innings. Chasing a mammoth 271 in Chennai, India were reeling at 6/2 and later at 82/5. Ramesh, Laxman, Dravid, Azharuddin, and Ganguly,all back in the hut. With some support from Nayan Mongia, Tendulkar almost single-handedly drove India close to victory. However, Pakistan held their nerve and India would lose this close fourth innings encounter by just 12 runs.
Context:Another high scoring draw against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar was one of the many centurions from this Test; others being Ramesh, Dravid, and Jayawardene, who scored 242.
Context:Tendulkar’s first ODI century at #4. This innings is best remembered for Sachin’s tribute to his late father, and the unbeaten 237-run partnership between Dravid-Tendulkar.
Tournament: Aiwa Cup 1999 (Tri Series: Aus, SL, Ind)
Context:Back to opening with Sadagoppan Ramesh as his partner, Tendulkar took first strike in this match. He was involved in the 75-run opening partnership as well as a 117-run partnership with Ganguly, who was now the new #4.
Venue: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (3rd Inning)
Context:India recovered from 83-all out in the first innings to score a mammoth 505/3 declared in their second. Debutant Devang Gandhi scored 75, Ramesh chipped in with 73, and the Dravid-Tendulkar duo managed 144 & 126* respectively.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Drawn, (POTM) – 217
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:India put up 583/7 declared in the first innings courtesy centuries from Ramesh (110), Ganguly (125), and Tendulkar (217). This was Sachin Tendulkar’s first double century.
Venue: Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, Deccan, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 186*
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Context:This day is remembered for a couple of reasons – (1) One of the final days when ODIs where played in whites, (2) a 331-run partnership between Dravid & Tendulkar, and finally (3) Sachin’s highest ODI score that stood tall until his double century.
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne, Australia
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 116 & 52
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:One of Sachin Tendulkar’s finest knocks. Against an attack of Glenn McGrath, Damien Fleming, Brett Lee, and Shane Warne, Tendulkar fought the lone hand. He scored 116 out of India’s 238 in the first innings with minimal support apart from Ganguly & Kumbleand followed it up with a fifty in the second innings.
Venue: Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara, India
Result: Won, (POTM) – 122
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Context:Tendulkar & Ganguly, back to the top of the batting order, put together 153 runs for the first wicket. India won by 4 wickets with just one ball to spare in the chase of 283.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Result: Lost, (POTM) – 101
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Coco-Cola Champions Trophy 2000/01 (Tri Series: SL, Ind, Zim)
Context:From India’s side, only Tendulkar stood up with a century when the next best was 35. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, chased 225 with sizeable contributions from Russell Arnold (59), Jayasuriya (48), Sangakkara (40*), and Jayawardene (38).
Context:This match is better known for Javagal Srinath’s 4/81 & 5/60, Andy Flower’s 183* * 70, and Dravid’s 200* & 70*, but Tendulkar contributed nicely with 122 & 39 as well.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:You would think Sachin’s unbeaten double century would yield him a player of the match trophy. Think again, this was Zimbabwe cricket at its peak and Andy Flower upped Tendulkar with a show of 55 & 232*.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:We all remember this month for Harbhajan’s excellence and the colossal Laxman’s 281 & Dravid’s 180 rearguard effort. But in the final match of the series, Sachin scored a century of his own.
Context:A game India truly dominated. VVS Laxman & Tendulkar combined for a 199-run second wicket partnership. India reached 299/8 and won by 118 runs.
Tournament: Standard Bank Triangular Tournament 2001/02 (SA, Ind, Ken)
Context:The golden era of Ganguly-Tendulkar mayhem continued. Ganguly 111, Tendulkar 146, partnership 258 runs, India 351/3. Ended up winning by 186 runs.
57. 155 vs South Africa, 2001, Bloemfontein (Test)
Format: Test (#26)
Opposition: South Africa
Venue: Goodyear Park, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Against an attack of Shaun Pollock, Nantie Hayward, Jacques Kallis, and Makhaya Ntini, Tendulkar scored a fluent 155 and had support from a certain Virender Sehwag (105) at #6.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:Responding to England’s first innings total of 407, India struggled under the guile of Giles. Ashley Giles took 5/67, but Tendulkar’s 103 took India to a safe score of 291.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:On this occasion, India were a class apart against Zimbabwe. Centuries from Shiv Sundar Das, Tendulkar, and Sanjay Bangar as well as a 9-wicket match haul for Anil Kumble meant that Zimbabwe were never really in the game.
60. 117 vs West Indies, 2002, Port of Spain (Test)
Format: Test (#29)
Opposition: West Indies
Venue: Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Although Tendulkar scored a century in the first innings (and duck in the second), it was VVS Laxman’s twin fifties (69* & 74) that earned him the player of the match trophy.
Venue: The Royal & Sun Alliance County Ground, Bristol, England
Result: Won,(POTM) – 113
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Tournament: NatWest Series (Ind, Eng, SL)
Context:Before the Yuvraj-Kaif magic and Ganguly’s celebration celebration in the final, Tendulkar scored a couple of tons of his own in THAT NatWest series.
Context:This match ended in a draw, but not before several great individual performances – Gayle’s 88, Wavell Hinds’ 100, Chanderpaul’s 140, Samuels’ 104, Harbhajan Singh’s 5-fer, 154* for VVS Laxman, and the Little Master’s 176.
Context:Good exposure for Namibia in an ODI World Cup, but Tendulkar (152) himself beat all of the Namibian team combined (130). It was that pair again on the charge – 244 between Tendulkar & Ganguly, who scored 112*.
Context:Against Australia, rises VVS Laxman. Laxman scored 102 before being run out by Andrew Symonds and added 190 runs with Tendulkar for the second wicket.
Venue: Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad, Deccan, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: TVS Cup (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, NZ)
Context:Virender Sehwag cemented his place as Tendulkar’s opening partner in ODIs. The duo scored 182 for the opening wicket while Ganguly dropped to #3 in the batting line up.
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney, Australia
Result: Drawn, (POTM) – 241* & 60*
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:The Test innings that everyone still talks about to this day. In order to rectifya flaw outside off, Tendulkar decided to let go off his famous cover drive. The art of a true genius. This innings required patience, grit, and mental fortitude. At the end, he scored a famous double century and probably his best Test innings.
Context:One of the best ODI series of all-time. Pakistan scored 329 due to neat 80s from Yasir Hameed and Shahid Afridi along with important contributions from Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, and Abdul Razzaq. In reply, Tendulkar scored 141 but did not have as much support from the rest of the XI as India fell short by 12 runs.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Context:Tendulkar’s hundred, Dhoni’s 47, and Yuvraj’s 35* got India to a score of 319, but Inzamam-ul-Haq & Shoaib Malik forged a quick partnership to take Pakistan home.
Context:Another close match against Pakistan. Another loss. Tendulkar (100), Irfan Pathan (56), and Dhoni (68) took India to 328, but a hundred from Salman Butt & 90 from Shoaib Malik meant the chase was complete with 3 overs to spare.
Venue: Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Centuries for Tendulkar and Ganguly. Known for their ODI partnership, this time they put together a 189-run partnership for the 4th wicket in this Test.
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:A rare occasion where India’s entire Top 4 scored centuries – Dinesh Karthik 129, Wasim Jaffer 138, Rahul Dravid 129, and Sachin Tendulkar 122*. India declared after scoring 610/3 and won by an innings & 239 runs.
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney, Australia
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (2nd Innings)
Context:One of the more controversial series in recent memories, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that Tendulkar scored yet another majestic hundred Down Under.
Tournament: Commonwealth Bank (CB) Series (Tri Series: Aus, Ind, SL)
Context:One of India’s more celebrated victories as the era of tri-series was coming to an end. Tendulkar’s 117* took India to victory in the CB series final. This series will be remembered for the Lee vs Tendulkar battle.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Sachin’s 109 set the platform as India scored 441 in the first innings. Despite Jason Krejza’s best effort (8/215 & 4/143), Australia still fell short by 172 runs in the Test.
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai, India
Result: Won
Batting Position: #4 (4th Innings)
Context:One of the greatest Test chases of all time. The original Bazballfourth innings chase. 387 chased down in 98.3 overs at 3.92 run rate, courtesy Sehwag’s quick assault of 83 (68).
Context:Ended retired hurt at 163* with five overs still to spare. One of Tendulkar’s greatest ODI innings, playing shots all around the park with 16 fours and five sixes.
Context:An all-round batting performance led by Tendulkar took India to 520 in the first innings, and the Kiwis never recovered. Gambhir’s Napier marathon of 137 & 167 in Wellington secured crucial draws, but Tendulkar’s hundred in this match helped India take the lead 1-0.
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (2nd Innings)
Context:Apart from the Sharjah knocks in 1998 vs Australia, this is quite possibly Sachin Tendulkar’s best ODI innings of all-time. Chasing 351, Sachin got India to 332 before paddle scooping it to Nathan Hauritz. A collapse followed and India were stopped at 347. So close, yet so far.
Venue: Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, India
Result: Drawn
Batting Position: #5 (3rd Innings)
Context:One of those high scoring India-Sri Lanka matches. Welegedera’s first morning spell reduced India to 4/32 before Dravid (177), Yuvraj (68), and Dhoni (110) helped India recover. In response, Dilshan scored 112, Jayawardenes scored centuries (275 for Mahela and 154* for Prasanna). Then came 114 for Gautam Gambhir and finally, 100* for Sachin Tendulkar at the end of the third innings.
Venue: Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Result: Won, (POTM) – 105*
Batting Position: #4 (1st Innings)
Context:Tendulkar’s unbeaten hundred was India’s only fighting force in the first innings as Shahadat Hossain & Shakib took 5 wickets each and bundled India for 243.
Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #4 (3rd Innings)
Context:335 runs behind South Africa in the first innings after Amla’s 253* and Steyn’s masterclass of 7/51, Tendulkar tried to save India in the follow-on. Tendulkar made a century but India still lost by an innings and 6 runs against a world class South African outfit.
Context:A Valentine Century for Sachin Tendulkar. Fun Fact – Tendulkar’s 106 was actually India’s third highest score in the innings after Laxman’s 143 & Sehwag’s 165. Hashim Amla also scored twin tons in that match, 114 & 123*, but India would end up winning by an innings.
Context:Tendulkar continued his rich vein of form with yet another double century. By the time he was done, he had already posted 592 runs. India would make 707 as the match headed towards a draw.
Context:Replying back to Australia’s 478, Tendulkar & Murali Vijay put together a 308-run stand to help India recover from 38/2. Tendulkar’s final double century.
Context:India’s first innings collapse came back to haunt them in this match. India were bundled out 136 and South Africa replied with 620/4 declared featuring Jacques Kallis’ maiden double century. Tendulkar (111*), Dhoni (90), Gambhir (80), and Sehwag (63) took India to 459, but still could not avoid an innings defeat.
Context:Against Dale Steyn & Morne Morkel in their primes, Tendulkar crafted a majestic ton at Newlands. One of the best performances for an Indian batter overseas.
Venue: Vidharbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, India
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: 2011 ODI Cricket World Cup
Context:In one of the best matches of the tournament, Sehwag & Tendulkar powered India to a 142-run stand in just 17.4 overs. Dale Steyn’s 5-fer would reduce India to 296, which South Africa would chase down in a thriller of a contest.
Venue: Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Bangladesh
Result: Lost
Batting Position: #2 (1st Innings)
Tournament: Asia Cup 2012 (Pak, Ban, Ind, SL)
Context:For such an illustrious career, this innings was criticized by many due to that strike rate of 77.55. Despite a 148-run partnership with Virat Kohli, Tendulkar’s final hundred resulted in Team India’s loss unfortunately.
Can you name cricketers with the most test centuries? If you are struggling, don’t worry. We got you.
Test cricket is the most challenging format of the sport, and it takes great skill and determination to reach the pinnacle of batting performance. That’s why a century in Test cricket has become one of the most sought-after milestones for batters. In this post, we take a look at 25 cricketers who have scored the most Test centuries. From Sachin Tendulkar to Steve Smith, we’ll explore the career records of each and every cricketer who has achieved this extraordinary feat.
So, come join us and let’s dive into the fascinating world of cricketing greatness!
Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), and Rahul Dravid (36) are the Top 5 batters with the most centuries in Test cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar (119), Jacques Kallis (103), Ricky Ponting (103), Rahul Dravid (99), and Shivnaire Chanderpaul (96) have the most 50+ scores in Test cricket.
Sir Donald Bradman (99.94), Steve Smith (60.22), Sir Garfield Sobers (57.78), Kumar Sangakkara (57.40), and Jacques Kallis (55.37) have the highest average for players on this list of most Test centuries.
Sir Donald Bradman (29 – 100s, 13 – 50s)/Younis Khan (34/33), Matthew Hayden (30/29), Michael Clarke (28/27), and Virat Kohli (28/28) have the best conversion rates from fifties to hundreds in Test matches.
Sachin Tendulkar (15921), Ricky Ponting (13378), Jacques Kallis (13289), Rahul Dravid (13288), and Alastair Cook (12472) have scored the most Test runs.
Australia (8), India (4), South Africa, West Indies (3), Sri Lanka, England, Pakistan (2), and New Zealand (1) have produced the most players on this elite list.
Only Steve Smith (32), Joe Root (30), Virat Kohli (28), Kane Williamson (28), and David Warner (25) are the remaining active players on this list.
There were some players that surprisingly missed out:
Notable Omissions: Mohammad Yousuf, Greg Chappell, Viv Richards (24) Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Justin Langer, Javid Miandad (23), AB De Villiers, Geoffrey Boycott, Mohammad Azharuddin, Colin Cowdrey, Ian Bell (22)
Test Cricket Batting Records: Top 25 List of Most Test Centuries
In this Top 25 list of cricketers with the most Test centuries, each cricketer has more than 25 Test hundreds to their name.
Note: To break ties, we went with the player with the most 50+ scores. In addition, players with * next to their names are still active in international cricket.
1. Sachin Tendulkar (51), India
Years Played: 1989-2013, Test Matches Played: 200
Total 50+ Scores: 119 (51 – 100s, 68 – 50s)
Average: 53.78
Runs Scored: 15921
Sachin Tendulkar stands at the top of the list with a whopping 51 Test centuries, establishing him as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history.
Ricky Ponting is the all-time highest run scorer for Australia in Test cricket, and his 41 centuries have put him firmly at third on this list. Ponting’s career was marked by consistent runs, hundreds in various conditions, and captaincy glory.
Kumar Sangakkara is one of the most prolific batsmen in Test cricket, with 38 centuries to his name. His 90 50+ scores display his longevity and consistency, making him one of the all-time greats.
Rahul Dravid, nicknamed ‘The Wall’, is one of the only few cricketers to have scored centuries in all 10 Test playing nations. His 36 centuries and 99 50+ scores make him one of the most prolific batsmen in history. Along with Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid formed a formidable partnership for India’s batting line up during the late 90s and early 2000s.
Mahela Jayawardene is the highest Test run scorer for Sri Lanka, with 11814 runs in 149 Tests. His batting style was known for its elegance and grace, and he will be remembered as one of the greats of Sri Lankan cricket.
Brian Lara is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history. He holds the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket (400*). His elegant stroke play set him apart from the rest of the pack.
Sunil Gavaskar is considered to be one of the best openers to have ever played cricket. His Test centuries scores speak volumes about his ability with the bat, and he holds the record for most Test centuries by an Indian batsman. He was known for his defensive technique and in a career spanning 16 years.
Younis Khan was a Pakistani batting icon and his 34 centuries speak volumes of his ability. He is the only player in the world to have scored centuries in 11 countries*, and he holds the record for most Test centuries by a Pakistani batsman. His attitude towards cricket made him an inspiration to many young players.
*since UAE/Pakistan both hosted home matches for Pakistan during his career
Sir Alastair Cook, one of the most successful English batsmen in history, has 33 Test centuries to his name. He holds several records for England’s batting performance, including most consecutive tests and most runs scored (until Joe Root takes over, of course). His success is due to his hard work and dedication, which have made him a true legend of the game.
Steve Waugh was one of Australia’s greatest batsmen, and one of the best captains for sure. He was known for his aggressive style of play and determination to succeed in every match.
Steve Smith is a modern-day batting legend, and his Test average around 60 (after almost 100 tests) is one of the highest among contemporary batsmen. His success has been due to his meticulous approach to the game and ability to dominate any bowling attack.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was one of the most consistent and reliable batsmen for West Indies. His 96 50+ scores speak of his ability to bat long and dominate the bowlers, especially as a lower middle order batter.
Joe Root is the name that comes to mind when talking about England’s current batting lineup. He has been a consistent performer for England, and his dedication and commitment to improving as a player are admirable. His stellar 2021-22 season has definitely put him as one of greatest batsmen of our generation, if not all-time.
Matthew Hayden was a powerhouse of Australian cricket. He was known for his aggressive style of play and ability to dominate the bowlers in all conditions. His Test hundred conversion rate still stands tall in world cricket, and he will be remembered as one of Australia’s finest batsmen.
Virat Kohli is a modern-day batting great, and his ability to score runs at will has made him one of the most feared batsmen in world cricket. His aggressive style of play combined with his natural technique make him a force to be reckoned with, especially his exploits in Australia, South Africa, and a memorable comeback in England.
Probably the greatest batsman of all time, Sir Donald Bradman needs no introduction. His incredible average of nearly 100 is a testament to his legendary batting skills and ability to dominate any bowling attack in the world. He was one of the most feared batsmen of his era, and he will continue to inspire generations of cricketers for years to come.
Hashim Amla was one of South Africa’s most consistent batsmen, and his style of play has been a delight to watch. His ability to stay focused and grind out long innings made him an integral part of the Proteas’ batting line-up for many years.
Michael Clarke was one of Australia’s most successful captains, and his batting record speaks for itself. He was known for his calm approach to the game, and he had a knack for scoring big runs when it mattered the most. The way he batted in the double century filled 2012-13 season was just amazing to watch.
Kane Williamson is one of the best batsmen in the world, and his ability to build an innings from scratch and score big runs has made him a star. His calm demeanor and sound technique have enabled him to dominate in all conditions, making him one of the most respected cricketers of our time.
With Ross Taylor, he formed the core of a World Test Championship winning middle order.
Allan Border was known for being a gritty player with an eye for scoring big runs, and he was able to do so even on difficult pitches. His contribution to Australia’s success in the 1980s and 1990s cannot be understated.
Graeme Smith was known for his fearless batting, and he led the South African team with bravery and determination. He was able to stay at the crease for long periods of time and score big runs in difficult conditions, making him one of the greatest opening batsmen in history.
Sir Garfield Sobers is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-round cricketers in history. His talent and skill with both bat and ball have rarely been matched, and his ability to control a match with his batting was remarkable. He will forever be remembered for his incredible achievements on the cricket field.
Inzamam Ul-Haq was one of Pakistan’s most consistent batsmen, and he was able to score big runs when the team needed them. His ability to play with power and finesse made him a formidable opponent for any bowler. With Younis & Yousuf, Pakistan had a stable middle order that they had lacked earlier.
Final Thoughts on Test Crickets Greatest Centurions
Test cricket is a game of patience, skill and strategy, and several cricketers have been able to master it.
The players on this list are have scored the most test centuries in cricket history. This indicates the impact they had and the number of the games they changed. Each one has made an incredible contribution to the sport through their individual performances. Their feats will continue to be remembered for years to come as a testament to the sheer brilliance and dedication of these players. Test cricket will always be a game of heroes.
Most Test Centuries – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who has the most centuries in Test Cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), Rahul Dravid (36), Mahela Jayawardene (34), Brian Lara (34), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Younis Khan (34), and Alastair Cook (33), are the Top 10 batters with most centuries in Test cricket.
2. Who has scored the most double centuries in Test cricket?
Sir Donald Bradman (12), Kumar Sangakkara (11), Brian Lara (9), Wally Hammond (7), Virat Kohli (7), and Mahela Jayawardene have scored the most Test double centuries.
3. Who has scored the most Test centuries in a calendar year?
Mohammad Yousuf (9, 2006), Ricky Ponting (7, 2006), Sir Vivian Richards (7, 1976), Aravinda de Silva (7, 1997), and Sachin Tendulkar (7, 2010) scored the most Test centuries in a calendar year.
4. Who has scored the most Test centuries for India?
Sachin Tendulkar (51), Rahul Dravid (36), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Virat Kohli (28), Virender Sehwag (23), Mohammad Azharuddin (22), Cheteshwar Pujara (19), Dilip Vengsarkar (17), VVS Laxman (17), and Sourav Ganguly (16) have scored the most Test hundreds for India.
5. Who has scored the most Test centuries for England?
Alastair Cook (33), Joe Root (29), Kevin Pietersen (23), Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey, Geoffrey Boycott, Ian Bell (22), Andrew Strauss (21), Ken Barrington, Graham Gooch (20), Len Hutton (19), Michael Vaughan, David Gower (18), and Denis Compton (17) scored the most Test hundreds for England.
6. Who has scored the most Test centuries for Australia?
Ricky Ponting (41), Steve Waugh (32), Steve Smith (30), Matthew Hayden (30), Sir Don Bradman (29), Michael Clarke (28), Allan Border (27), David Warner (25), Greg Chappell (24), Justin Langer (23), Neil Harvey, David Boon (21), Mark Waugh (20), Mike Hussey, Mark Taylor (19), and Adam Gilchrist (17) scored the most hundreds for Australia.
This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth look at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), one of the most celebrated Test series in the cricket world today.
We will discuss the history of BGT, and look at some of the prominent players who have played a major role in making this tournament what it is today, including the most runs and wickets. The upcoming BGT 2023 schedule and how they can follow the tournament as it unfolds in India is also displayed.
Key Takeaways
The Border Gavaskar trophy has been held 15 times since 1996, 8 of which were hosted by India and 7 by Australia.
India has won the Border–Gavaskar Trophy 9 times(96-97, 97-98, 2000-01, 04-05, 08-09, 2010-11, 12-13, 16-1)
Australia has won the Border Gavaskar Trophy 5 times (1999-2000, 04-05,07-08,11-12, 14-15).
Sachin Tendulkar (3262), Ricky Ponting (2555), and VVS Laxman (2434) are the highest run scorers in Border Gavaskar Trophy history.
Anil Kumble (111), Harbhajan Singh (95), and Nathan Lyon (94) are the highest wicket-takers in the Border -Gavaskar Trophy.
India has won in Australia twice (2018-19, 2020-21). Australia has won in India 4 times, but only once since 1996 (1947-48, 1956-57, 1959-60, 2004-05).
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a Test series held between India and Australia named after Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. Although India and Australia have been playing Test series since 1947, this series officially began in 1996 when Australia toured India for one Test match. Since then, it has been held every 2-3 years in either India or Australia.
History of India vs Australia Test Series at a Glance
Since 1947, both Australia and India have hosted the Test series on 14 occasions each (28 series total). Australia has won 12 times each, India has won 11 times, and the series has been drawn five times. The entire table of the India-Australia Test series is summarized below.
*Note that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy officially begins in 1996.
Host
SeasonPlayed
Series Winner
Series Score
Tests
Australia
1947-1948
Australia
4-0
5
India
1956-1957
Australia
2-0
3
India
1959-1960
Australia
2-1
5
India
1964-1965
Drawn
1-1
3
Australia
1967-1968
Australia
4-0
4
India
1969-1970
Australia
3-1
5
Australia
1977-1978
Australia
3-2
5
India
1979-1980
India
2-0
6
Australia
1980-1981
Drawn
1-1
3
Australia
1985-1986
Drawn
0-0
3
India
1986-1987
Drawn
0-0
3
Australia
1991-1992
Australia
4-0
5
India
1996-1997*
India
1-0
1
India
1997-1998
India
2-1
3
Australia
1999-2000
Australia
3-0
3
India
2000-2001
India
2-1
3
Australia
2003-2004
Drawn
1-1
4
India
2004-2005
Australia
2-1
4
Australia
2007-2008
Australia
2-1
4
India
2008-2009
India
2-0
4
India
2010-2011
India
2-0
2
Australia
2011-2012
Australia
4-0
4
India
2012-2013
India
4-0
4
Australia
2014-2015
Australia
2-0
4
India
2016-2017
India
2-1
4
Australia
2018-2019
India
2-1
4
Australia
2020-2021
India
2-1
4
India
2022-2023
India
2-1
4
History of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Now we will present each Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series in detail, in reverse chronological order.
BGT 2022-23 (India 2-1)
Hosts: India
Number of Tests: 4
Venues: Nagpur, Delhi, Indore, Ahmedabad
This series was marked by the excellence of India’s three spin allrounders – Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, & Axar Patel. Resurgence of Virat Kohli, Usman Khawaja’s defiance, and Nathan Lyon’s effectiveness were factors in yet another absorbing Test series.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2022-23: Ravichandran Ashwin
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2022-23: Usman Khawaja (333)
Virat Kohli’s 50, Tim Paine’s rearguard effort, 36 ALL OUT, Ajinkya Rahane’s Melbourne 100 & captaincy, Shubman Gill’s emergence, Smith and Labuschagne’s successful partnership, and Pat Cummins doing it all. Siraj suffers but delivers, Thakur & Sundar lead India’s next generation, Ashwin-Paine spice up the tournament, Vihari takes body blows, and the yin and yang of Pujara-Pant gives India series victory and breaches the Gabba fortress.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2020-21: Pat Cummins
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2020-21: Marnus Labuschagne (426)
Note: Bharat Sundaresan is going to release his book on the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy during the 2023 BGT in India. He was in the thick of things traveling to each city and discussing the events of each day with Melinda Farrell.
BGT 2018-19 (India 2-1)
Hosts: Australia
Number of Tests: 4
Venues: Adelaide, Perth (Perth Stadium), Melbourne, Sydney
If you saw the first season of The Test, you will realize what a thorn Pujara was in Australia’s plans. He defended, defended, and defended some more. In the process, he scored tons of runs. Rishabh Pant & Tim Paine provided several cute moments, Nathan Lyon vs Pujara & Pant was mesmerizing. Bumrah’s slower delivery to dismiss Shaun Marsh will forever be etched in memory. To sum it up though, it was Kohli’s captaincy and the fast-bowling revolutionwas key to India’s success.Australia was without the services of Warner & Smith as they tried to recover from the ball tampering scandal, but this does not take anything away from India.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2018-19: Cheteshwar Pujara
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2018-19: Cheteshwar Pujara (521)
Rishabh Pant (350), Virat Kohli (282)
Marcus Harris (258), Travis Head (237)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2018-19: Jasprit Bumrah, Nathan Lyon
Mohammad Shami (16)
Pat Cummins (14), Josh Hazlewood (13), Mitchell Starc (13)
Steven Smith’s 109 in Pune – One of the greatest centuries on Indian soil by an Australian batter.
Australia started with a massive win and hope to win a series in India.Pujara scored another double century and a couple of fifties. Beginning to be a pattern, isn’t it? Steve Smith with scores of 109, 178, 111 was at his absolute best, but the Ravis (Ashwin & Jadeja) were just too hot to handle. Other players played decent roles as well. Nathan Lyon took an eight-for and Steve O’Keefe delivered that first win with 6-fers. KL Rahul with twin fifties, Matt Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Rahane, Wade all contributing as well in what was a competitive series.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2016-17: Ravindra Jadeja
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2016-17: Steven Smith (499)
Although India did not exorcise the ghosts of 2011, Team India provided that glimmer of hope. It was Mitchell Johnson’s year and even though he was Australia’s highest wicket-taker, the partnership between Virat Kohli & Ajinkya Rahane will be remembered forever.Just check this clip out.Virat Kohli’s twin tons in Adelaide made for a classic Test and set his career up. But Steve Smith. 769 Runs. Genius. Nathan Lyon. 23 Wickets. Australian legends coming into their own in this series.MS Dhoni surprises with his retirement after the 3rd Test, and Ryan Harris retires after yet another memorable performance.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2014-15: Steven Smith
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2014-15: Steven Smith (769)
Michael Clarke’s unforgettable year, MS Dhoni’s double, and the greatness that Ravichandran Ashwin is.Pujara scored a double as well, and Vijay continued in the prime of his life with 167.But this series will be remembered for Shikhar Dhawan’s glorious 187 on debut, Starc’s 99 at #8, and Steven Smith starting to make runs on Asian soil.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2012-13: Ravichandran Ashwin
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2012-13: Murali Vijay (430)
Cheteshwar Pujara (410), MS Dhoni (326), Virat Kohli (284)
Michael Clarke (286), Ed Cowan (265), David Warner (192)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2012-13: Ravichandran Ashwin (29)
Australia crushes India. Shall I say anymore?A drubbing. A disaster. Michael Clarke smashes 329* and 210, Ricky Ponting averages 108.8 and also scores a double. Hilfenhaus & Siddle take 50 wickets among themselves. James Pattinson announces himself (briefly) on the international stage. Rahul Dravid gets bowled 7 times. An end of an era. Kohli’s 116 in the 4th Test India’s only positive. This tour will always be remembered for the infamous 0-8.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2011-12: Michael Clarke
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2011-12: Michael Clarke (626)
Ricky Ponting (544), Mike Hussey (293), David Warner (266)
Virat Kohli (300), Sachin Tendulkar (287)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2011-12: Ben Hilfenhaus (27)
Short but sweet series. The Mohali Test is an all-time classic. VVS Laxman, back spasms, and a successful chase with the lower order. In the second Test, Tendulkar continued his dream resurgent year with 214 & 53*. In the second innings, Rahul Dravid was yet again going to be demoted from his #3 position for someone else. That someone else turned out to be Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored a counterattacking 72. Cheteshwar Pujara—counterattacking Australians since 2010.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2010-11: Sachin Tendulkar
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2010-11: Sachin Tendulkar (403)
Murali Vijay (176), Suresh Raina (118)
Shane Watson (271), Ricky Ponting (224), Tim Paine (183), Marcus North (141)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2010-11: Zaheer Khan (12)
Harbhajan Singh (11), Pragyan Ojha (9)
Mitchell Johnson (8), Ben Hilfenhaus (8), Nathan Hauritz (6)
Anil Kumble retires at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Ishant Sharma continues his growth with a player of the series performance. Although Hussey, Katich, Johnson, Krezja, and Watson played key roles for Australia, it was clear that Australia was in a transition era.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2008-09: Ishant Sharma
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2008-09: Gautam Gambhir (463)
The series turned out to have both off-field and on-field drama. What began as a great era of Test series from 2000-01 ended with 2007-08 with some questionable decisions and the Monkeygate crisis.Tendulkar still scored runs, Anil Kumble still took wickets, but Brett Lee was the pick of the players in the series.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2007-08: Brett Lee
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2007-08: Sachin Tendulkar (493)
VVS Laxman (366), Virender Sehwag (286)
Matthew Hayden (410), Andrew Symonds (410), Michael Clarke (316), Michael Hussey (292), Ricky Ponting (268)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2007-08: Brett Lee (24)
Australia finally breaches the India fortress feat Damien Martyn. A young Michael Clarke, game-changing Gilchrist, and Gillespie all contributed to their effort. India’s spin trios—Kumble, Harbhajan, and Murali Kartik took 60 wickets among themselves but fell short.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2004-05: Damien Martyn
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2004-05: Damien Martyn (444)
Michael Clarke (400), Simon Katich (276), Matthew Hayden (244), Justin Langer (228), Adam Gilchrist (218)
A series for the ages. Ricky Ponting & Rahul Dravid at the top of their games scoring 706 & 619 runs respectively. Dravid’s 233 & 72* with VVS Laxman torturing Australia once again. Sachin Tendulkar resists his cover drive temptation to score 241*, Kumble India’s top performer with the ball yet again, Ganguly scores a ton. Sehwag, Hayden, Martyn, Steve Waugh all among the runs. Gillespie, Agarkar, MacGill, and Lee among the wickets. Something for everybody. Many great players of this era in peak form. Deserved 1-1 drawn series.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2003-04: Rahul Dravid
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2003-04: Ricky Ponting (706)
Matthew Hayden (51), Justin Langer (369), Simon Katich (353)
The series that began the rivalry. Steve Waugh’s final frontier was so close, yet so far. VVS Laxman’s greatest innings of the century, the 281, and the partnership turned narrative around for this series and Indian cricket in general. Shane Warne’s expression that day said it all. Sourav Ganguly, the charasmatic captain leading India after the match-fixing era, Sachin Tendulkar doing what he does best (along with his googlies), and Harbhajan Singh being a class apart. India’s top three bowlers in the charts read: Harbhajan (32), Tendulkar (3), Zaheer Khan (3).From Australia’s end, Hayden, McGrath, Gilchrist, Waugh, Warne, and Gillespie all played a role in the series.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 2000-01: Harbhajan Singh
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 2000-01: Matthew Hayden (549)
Steve Waugh (243), Michael Slater (166)
VVS Laxman (503), Rahul Dravid (338), Sachin Tendulkar (304), SS Das (173)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 2000-01: Harbhajan Singh (32)
Sachin Tendulkar (3), Zaheer Khan (3)
Glenn McGrath (17), Jason Gillespie (13), Shane Warne (10), CR Miller (6), Mark Waugh (3)
With the exception of individual performances by India, Australia completely blew the visitors away. Ricky Ponting was the top run-scorer and Glenn McGrath was the highest wicket taker of ther series, two names that would come up time and again over the next decade. Tendulkar was the player of the series, but VVS Laxman’s 167 gave Australia a taste of what they were about to face in the future.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 1999-2000: Sachin Tendulkar
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 1999-2000: Ricky Ponting (375)
Justin Langer (289), Steve Waugh (276), Adam Gilcrist (221)
1998—The year of Sachin Tendulkar. He continued his Sharjah exploits in Test cricket. Here is a clip of the battle between Shane Warne vs Sachin Tendulkar in India for the first time. Although Australia got a consolation win, India defeated Australia by healthy margins in the first two Tests.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 1997-98: Sachin Tendulkar
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 1997-98: Sachin Tendulkar (446)
Navjot Singh Sidhu (341), Mohammad Azharuddin (311)
Mark Waugh (280), Mark Taylor (189), Ian Healy (165)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 1997-98: Anil Kumble (23)
Javagal Srinath (8), Venkatapathy Raju (7)
Gavin Robertson (12), Shane Warne (10), Michael Kasprowicz (8)
Nayan Mongia starred in India’s first Border-Gavaskar Trophy win over Australia. Another key contributor, Anil Kumble, would stand up again and again in the India-Australia Tests for years to come.
Stats
Player of the Series in BGT 1996-97: Nayan Mongia
Highest Runs Scorer in BGT 1996-97: Nayan Mongia (152)
Highest Wicket-Taker in BGT 1996-97: Anil Kumble (9)
The schedule for the 2023 BGT 2023 is shown below:
1st Test, Nagpur, 9-13 February, 2023
2nd Test, Delhi, 17-21 February, 2023
3rd Test, Dharamsala, 1-5 March, 2023
4th Test, Ahmedabad, 9-13 March, 2023
The ODI series is scheduled as follows:
1st ODI (D/N), Mumbai (Wankhede), 17 March, 2023
2nd ODI (D/N), Visakhapatnam, 19 March, 2023
3rd ODI (D/N), Chennai, 22 March 2023
Who were Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border?
Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border were two of the greatest cricketers in history.
Gavaskar was an iconic Indian batsman who played 125 Tests for India, scoring a then-record 34 centuries. He held several batting records and is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen ever to have graced the game. On the other hand, Border was an Australian all-rounder who captained Australia to their first World Cup win in 1987. He played 156 Tests for Australia and is widely considered to be one of the greatest captains of all time. Together, these two legends were instrumental in establishing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which has become one of the most eagerly anticipated cricket series.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was established in 1996 as a tribute to two of cricket’s finest players, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. The series has since become one of the most anticipated events in international cricket, with some of the greatest matches being played between India and Australia over the past two decades. The trophy is contested every two years, alternating between India and Australia, with the last edition being hosted Down Under in 2020-21. The series has seen some of the greatest contests in cricket history, providing for a thrilling and intense experience for all fans.
We will just wait and watch what BGT 2023 has to offer. With all the recent past, I’m sure it will be nothing short of delightful.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was established in 1996 as a tribute to two of cricket’s finest players, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. The series has since become one of the most anticipated events in international cricket, with some of the greatest matches being played between India and Australia over the past two decades. The trophy is contested e very two years, alternating between India and Australia, with the last edition being hosted Down Under in 2018-19. The series has seen some of the greatest contests in cricket history, providing for a thrilling and intense experience for all fans.
When is the next Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
The next Border-Gavaskar Trophy will take place in February-March 2023 in India. It will consist of 4 Tests and 3 ODIs.
Who has won the most Border-Gavaskar trophies (BGT)?
India has won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 9 times, while Australia have held it five times.
How many times has India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia?
India has won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy twice (2018-19 & 2020-21).
How many times has Australia won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in India?
Australia has won the Border Gavaskar Trophy exactly once in India (2004). However, Australia has won it thrice more before the inception of the BGT.
How many times has Australia won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
Australia has won the BGT 5 times.
How many times has India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
India has won the BGT 9 times.
Who currently holds the Border Gavaskar Trophy?
India is the current holder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, winning away from home 2-1 in 2020-21.
It’s time to discuss the greatest cricketers of all time. This ultimate list will feature 155 top cricketers across formats and eras—from WG Grace to Kieron Pollard.
Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo just retired as players from the IPL and left their imprints on T20 cricket. As T20s evolve and become central to the cricketing universe, why not make a list of the greatest cricketers of all time across formats and eras?
Over 250 cricketers were considered for this list. We consider Tests, ODIs, T20Is, T20 leagues, and first-class cricket played over 145 years.
Sir Donald Bradman is chosen as the Greatest Cricketer of All-Time with WG Grace, Sachin Tendulkar, Jack Hobbs, Shane Warne, Frank Worrell, and Sir Garfield Sobers close behind.
England (40), Australia (31), West Indies (24) dominated the list due to their rich first class and World Cup histories. The breakdown of the rest of the countries are as follows: India (14), Pakistan (13), South Africa (12), Sri Lanka (10), New Zealand (7), Zimbabwe (1), Afghanistan(1), and Bangladesh (1).
Charles Bannerman, Johnny Tyldesley, Subhash Gupte, Mitchell Johnson, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, David Warner, Jeff Thompson, Shahid Afridi, Mark Waugh, Makhaya Ntini, Mike Brearley, Harbhajan Singh, Glenn Turner, Ben Stokes, Cheteshwar Pujara, Lance Klusener, Yuvraj Singh, Ian Healy, Vijay Hazare, Trent Boult, Ian Chappell, Saeed Ajmal
155 Greatest Cricketers of All Time: The Ultimate List
Picking the Top 155 players was a tough task, but do you know what was even tougher? Ranking them.
Without furthur ado, here is the list. Enjoy the classic photography and check out the videos linked under some players.
Disclaimer: The ranking is most likely going to not align with your views. Expect the unexpected. Several ‘great’ cricketers did not make the list (see the extended list of honorable mentions below) but the ones that did fundamentally helped change the game. Feel free to comment below on players who you think should be in the list.
155. Learie ‘Lord’ Baron Constantine (West Indies, 1921-1939)
Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Freelooters, Trinidad
An allrounder by trade, Constantine was one of West Indies’ early stars. More than his on-field accomplishments, he made an impact as a lawyer, politician, and Trinidad & Tobago’s High Commissioner to the UK.
An Australian left-arm pacer who “would be the most menacing new-ball bowler of his day” and was a handy batter in the lower order—The original Mitchell Johnson and Mitch Starc.
Major Teams: Australia, Australia U-19, New South Wales, Sydney Sixers, Yorkshire, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Speaking of Australian left arm pacers, Mitchell Starc. His World Cup exploits are alone to guarantee him a spot in the all-time list. Player of the Tournament when he helped Australia lift the trophy in 2015, he bettered himself in 2019 with the record tally of 27 wickets. Starc’s yorkers, early swing, and ability to clean up tails will be remembered forever.
Playing alongside Don Bradman, he was often overshadowed but was said to be a beautiful batter to watch. Even Sir Len Hutton remarked, “It would be hard to think of a greater Australian batsman. He had qualities that even Bradman hadn’t got.”He is best known for scoring 385 runs in that infamous Bodyline series.
Wisden remarks the Hunte “was one of the greatest West Indian batsmen of a great generation.” Even the great Desmond Haynes picked Hunte over himself in the All-Time Barbados XI “because he was simply the better batsman.”
ESPNCricinfo states that Evans was “arguably the best wicketkeeper the world has ever seen.” Played 91 Tests and even scored a couple of tons. Inflicted 1066 dismissals in his first-class career.
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Delhi Giant, Sinhalese Sports Club
From 0,0.0,1,0,0 to establishing himself as the backbone of Sri Lanka’s Test batting seven years later and ending with six double centuries is a beautiful story. Decent ODI player with 8500 runs as well.
Before he was the voice of cricket, he was remembered as one of Australia’s greatest captains. His aggressive captaincy led to the first tied Test in cricket’s history. As a leg spinning allrounder, he was the first man to complete the double of 200 Test wickets and 2000 runs.
Major Teams: India, India U-19, Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, Mumbai
264, 209, 208*, 171*, 162, 159, 152*, 150.
An ODI legend with a penchant for the mammoth hundreds. Easy on the eye, one of the best IPL captains, a T20 World Cup winner, and one of the best pullers the game has ever seen.
Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia
Played the third longest Test innings (743 balls) when he scored 311 against England in 1964. A leg-spinner allrounder who became an opening Test batter is a noteworthy achievement.
Major Teams: Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore, United Bank Limited, Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan
A graceful left-hander, his 194 withstood the test of time until Sachin Tendulkar’s 200 broke his record. Anwar was the highest scoring opener in the 1990s in ODI cricket.
Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, British Guiana
One of the famous ‘3 Ws’ in West Indies’ middle order, he was a steady cog of West Indies’ middle order. 15 Test hundreds, 40 first class centuries, and Test average of 56.68. Fun fact, Walcott holds the record for the fewest ducks in career.
Also See: Sir Frank Worrell (#6), Sir Clyde Walcott (#134)
Weekes was one of the best in his time. Centuries in five consecutive innings, joint fastest to a 1000 Test runs, and ended with a Test average of 58.61.
Major Teams: Pakistan, Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan, Chittagong Division, Durham, Islamabad Leopards, Khan Research Labs, Kolkata Knight Riders, Pakistan International Airlines, Rawalpindi, Somerset, Surrey, Worcestershire
There’s a good reason why the England-South Africa trophy is named Basil D’Oliveira Trophy. As a South African-born mixed player, he was picked for England during the Apartheid era (known as the Oliveira affair). With 19,490 first class runs & important social legacy, he was named as South Africa’s Top 10 players of the century despite never representing the Proteas.
The greatest Zimbabwean batter and scored the highest runs in an innings by any keeper (232*). Over 11,000 international runs across formats, Flower lead the way during Zimbabwe’s golden years.
The most prolific bowler-keeper combination in the history of Test cricket is “c Rod Marsh, b Dennis Lillee”(95). World record holder for most Test dismissals at the time of his retirement, he was the best keeper Australia produced…until Ian Healy & Adam Gilchrist surpassed him.
Major Teams: India, Deccan Chargers, Hyderabad, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Lancashire
If you played the greatest innings of the twenty-first century, THAT 281*, you deserve to be on this list. Had a stellar Test career of performing under pressure with the lower order (and frequent back spasms).
Major Teams: West Indies, Combined Islands, Leeward Islands, Hampshire, Leicestershire, New South Wales
The face of West Indies’ pace quartet, his bouncers were ruthless.Apart from his 202 Test wickets, also had an effective ODI career—87 wickets at 20.35.
Major Teams: New Zealand, Auckland, Central Districts, Wellington, Somerset
The greatest New Zealand batter of his generation and definitely one of the best captains. Hamstring Injury in the 1992 World Cup semi-final was a huge factor in their defeat. Apart from his cricketing talent, was one of the leading thinkers of the game.
Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Wellington
Credited for inventing the flipper, he was the second fastest to 200 Test wickets (and fastest before Yasir Shah) and the second oldest to take ten wickets in a Test match (44 years). New Zealand born Australian player.
Regarded as one of the best batters to ever don the baggy green. 7110 runs with 24 Test tons at 53.86 looks especially great given that batted in the era of the ferocious West Indian attack.
Major Teams: West Indies, Canterbury, Derbyshire, Jamaica, Lancashire, Tasmania
Although 249 Test wickets at an average of 23.68 & 50.9 strike rate already puts him in the top echelons of world cricket, it was his impact with sheer pace and that menacing action that took him to the next level. An iconic commentator as well.
Major Teams: West Indies, West Indies U-19, Adelaide Strikers, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Deccan Gladiators, Dhaka Dynamites, Karachi Kings, Kerala Kings, London Spirit, Melbourne Renegades, Multan Sultans, Mumbai Indians, Peshawar Zalmi, Somerset, South Australia, St. Lucia Stars, Stanford Superstars, Toronoto Nationals, Trinbago Knight Riders, Trinidad, Welsh Fire
With almost 12,000 T20 Runs at 150.25 SR, batting predominantly at the lower order, Kieron Pollard was arguably the first bona fide T20 globetrotter. A pioneer in T20 power-hitting and mainstay for the Mumbai Indians in their 5-peat, he was a crucial member of West Indies’ 2012 T20 World Cup victory.
Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Hampshire, Pune Warriors
Had one of the greatest peaks of a Test batter. 1595 runs at 106.33 with 5 hundreds, including a 329* and a couple of double hundreds. Captain of Australia’s 2015 World Cup victory.
Major Teams: South Africa, Border, Cape Cobras, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore
The wicketkeeper during South Africa’s golden generation and the most prolific keeper of all-time. Unfortunately, a bail hitting his eye ended his career. Played 147 Tests and inflicted an iconic 999 international dismissals (555 Tests, 425 ODIs, 19 T20Is).
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Nondescripts Cricket Club, Kent, Auckland
107*(124), 3/42, & 2 catches—One of the best performances in a World Cup final. With over 15,000 international runs, Aravinda played his part in bringing Sri Lanka to the top tiers of world cricket.
At 6 ft 8 inches, Garner towered above all and provided West Indies with that extra edge. With 259 Test wickets at 20.97 and 146 ODI wickets, he was one of the best. Holds the record for the best ODI economy (3.09) and won the 1979 WC final with a 5/38 show.
Major Teams: South Africa, Free State, Warwickshire, Worcesterershire
Before there was Steyn, Morne Morkel, Makhaya Ntini, and Kagiso Rabada, there was Allan Donald. Bowled with menace and one of South Africa’s premier icons after they were reinstated in international cricket. Will also be remembered to be at the receiving end in the most infamous run-out of them all.”
Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Somerset, South Australia
115. Brett Lee (Australia, 1999-2012)
Major Teams: Australia, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, New South Wales, Otago, Sydney Sixers, Wellington
Probably the smoothest fast bowling action of all time. Over 700 international wickets, never compromised on pace despite injuries, THAT chainsaw celebration, and ended cricket career with a magnificent final over in the Big Bash.
Major Teams: South Africa, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Derbyshire, Dolphins, Essex, Khulna Tigers, Kings XI Punjab KwaZulu-Natal, Surrey, Trinbago Knight Riders
Elegant, high-class opener, and a massively underrated ODI batter. 55 International centuries, fastest to 7000 ODI runs, a triple centurion, partnership maker. From blockathons to two hundreds in T20 cricket, versatility was Amla’s strength.
Major Teams: England, Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils, Dolphins, Hampshire, KwaZulu-Natal, Melbourne Stars, Nottinghamshire, Quetta Gladiators, Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bangalore, St. Lucia Zouks, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Surrey
The ODI series against home country, South Africa, would sum up his career. Had his doubters early on with the rebel style, but his gameplay was too good to ignore. The 2005 Ashes, 2010 T20 World Cup, and 2012 Test series victory in India. England legend, just left with self-inflicted unfortunate circumstances.
Major Teams: Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Yorkshire, Kent, Leicestershire, Sussex
Before MS Dhoni, Michael Bevan pioneered the ‘finisher’ role in ODI cricket. Averaging 53.98 after 232 matches, remaining unbeaten and hitting last-ball boundaries to win matcheswas his specialty.
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Kandurata Maroons, Moors Sports Club, Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club, Wayamba, Surrey, Hampshire
A specialist of sorts. If ever a bowler was needed on spinning tracks in the fourth innings, it was Herath. 433 Test wickets and Sri Lanka’s only hope in the transition years.
Major Teams: Afghanistan, Afghanistan U-19, Kabul, Adelaide Strikers, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Barbados Tridents, Comilla Victorians, Durban Heat, Kabul Eagles, Lahore Qalandars, Maratha Arabians, MI Cape Town, MI Emirates, Nangahar Leopards, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Sussex, Trent Rockets
Not many have seen a rise as exponential as Rashid Khan has in cricket. 501 T20 wickets in 374 T20 matches. Already a legend and sought out for, he has played in almost every league around the world. Afghanistan cricket rises when Rashid Khan rises.
Major Teams: India, Delhi Leicestershire, Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab
You would think aggressive batting meant Sehwag would be dangerous in limited overs cricket. He was, but he truly changed the role of the opening batter in Test cricket. First ball boundaries and hitting double centuries in a single day was his forte. 319, 309, and 293 will be remembered forever.
Major Teams: West Indies, British Guiana, South Australia, Warwickshire
First spinner to pass 300 wickets and accumulated 1024 first class wickets, he will go down as West Indies’ greatest Test spinner. Has a Test hat-trick and once bowled a miserly spell of 53.3-37-38-8. Wow.
Major Teams: New Zealand, Brisbane Heat, Canterbury, Chennai Super Kings, Glamorgan, Gujarat Lions, Kochi Tuskers Kerela, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lahore Qalandars, New South Wales, Otago, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sussex, Toronto Nationals, Trinbago Knight Riders, Warwickshire
Match after match, captain McCullum would announce that this journey was ‘the time of their lives’ in the 2015 World Cup hosted at home. Took New Zealand to the World Cup finals for the first time, brought NZ out of lows of 2012, and for all his T20 exploits, had the skill to score 302 vs India I’m a Test match. Retired with the fastest Test century of all-time. Also credited for launching the IPL with a remarkable 158.
One of the best Ashes batters, a member of the ‘Invincibles,’ Australian army man during World War II, and a rugby player, Morris can truly say he did it all.
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Galle Cricket Club, Kandy, Kent, Galle Gladiators, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Lucia Zouks, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Melbourne Stars, Rangpur Riders, Southern Express, Kent, Mumbai Indians
Malinga built a career out of pinpoint accurate yorkers and a slingy action. 4 wickets in 4 balls, couple of other hat-tricks, a T20 World Cup, and several IPL trophies with Mumbai Indians. Simply a legend.
Major Teams: Australia, Australia U-19, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Brisbane Heat, Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunder, Canterbury, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Dhaka Dynamites, Rangpur Rangers, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, St. Lucia Zouks
History will regard Shane Watson in awe. Gifted with a rare combination of skills, he established himself as a fast-bowling order who could bat in the top order. Player of the tournament in the 2012 T20 World Cup, 2008 & 2013 IPLs, the 2009 Champions Trophy, and key play-off knocks with CSK in the 2019 IPL, he stood up on the big occasions. A successful Test opener between 2009-10 alongside Simon Katich speaks to his versatility.
The Top 100 cricketers of all time will at least consist of all the 10,000 runs scorers (either format), or members of the 500+ (Test), 400+ (ODI) wicket taker group.
100. Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka, 1993-2017)
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Basnahira South, Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club, Delhi Daredevils, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kalutara Town Club, Karachi Kings, Northern Districts, Peshawar Zalmi, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sebastianites Cricket and Athletic Club, Singha Sports Club, Surrey, Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club
Dilshan is one of the most innovative cricketers of the modern era. Known for ‘The Dilscoop,’ he was one of the pillars of the Sri Lankan in their 2014 T20 World Cup victory, along with numerous other finals between 2007-2014. Also a handy off-spinner & acrobatic fielder.
Major Teams: India, Bengal, Glamorgan, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Kolkata Knight Riders, Pune Warriors
Changed how India was viewed. Captained India to the 2003 World Cup final and several overseas Test victories. I will forever remember him for his ODI exploits and down the ground sixes.
Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Queensland, Somerset
Noble is “regarded as the greatest Australian all-rounder ever produced by Australia.” In all, he took 624 first class wickets and hit 37 centuries as well.
Major Teams: Pakistan, Surrey, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, South Australia, Rajasthan Royals
One of the only constants in Pakistan’s era of uncertainty. 10,000 runs Test runs, crisis man in the 4th innings, solid ODI batter & slip fielder, and a T20 World Cup winning captain.
Major Teams: India, Delhi, Northern Punjab, Northamptonshire
Part of India’s spin quartet, Bedi had it all—the flight, guile, turn, and grace. With plenty of county experience, he ended with a mammoth 1560 first class wickets.
Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Adelaide Strikers, Sydney Strikers
A mainstay in Australia’s bowling line up. Bowling on Australian pitches for the majority of his career, Lyon became the tireless figure. Consistent line and length. Ball after ball. For an entire decade. 450+ Test wickets and counting.
Major Teams: New Zealand, New Zealand U-10, Central Districts, Durham, Sussex, Middlesex, Victoria, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St. Lucia Zouks, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Victoria, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, Rajasthan Royals
The best #4 ODI batter of all-time and between 2016-19, was the best ODI batter. Started as a leg side slogger and became a steady middle order batter. Nice to sign off with an unbeaten knock in New Zealand’s WTC win.
Major Teams: England, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Kings XI Punjab, Hobart Hurricanes
Statistically, the second highest fast bowling wicket-taker of all-time. Speaks of his fitness. Could get hit for six sixes or bowl spells to remember forever. At one point, also a handy batter down the order.
Major Teams: India, Tamil Nadu, Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire
5 Test Hundreds. One of the greatest off spinners of all-time. Removed the stigma of non-strikers run-out almost single-handedly. Pioneered the ‘retired out’ in T20 cricket. Improved his batting to be a #3 in T20s, a decent finisher, Test match blockathon-specialist, off-spinner, leg-spinner, mystery spin, carrom ball. Has a succesfful YouTube channel. Cricket improviser at his absolute best. Ahead of his times.
Major Teams: England, Yorkshire, Northern Transvaal
Although Boycott had his troubles off the field, on the field, he was one of the great ones. In his era, not many scored more than his 151 first class hundreds and 8114 Test runs.
Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Nottinghamshire
Miller is regarded as Australia’s greatest ever all-rounder. Although 2958 runs & 170 Test wickets flatter to deceive now, it was the best figures for an allrounder at the time.
Graham Gooch has perhaps scored the most runs. EVER. 44,846 First Class runs with 128 hundreds & 217 fifties to go along with 22, 211 List A runs with 44 hundreds and 139 fifties. In international cricket, he amassed 8900 Test runs, 4200 ODI runs, and 28 tons overall.
Major Teams: South Africa, Gauteng, Western Province, Somerset, Surrey, Cape Cobras, Rajasthan Royals
One of the greatest captains and grittiest opening batters of all-time. Batting with a broken hand against Mitchell Johnson in attempt to save a Test match will go down as one of the most courageous acts on the cricket field.
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Basnahira North, Colts Cricket Club, Deccan Chargers, Hampshire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire
The only player to take 8 wickets in an ODI matchand the spearhead of Sri Lanka’s fast bowling attack with 781 international wickets. Has a World Cup hat-trick, Test hundred, and ODI fifty as well.
In modern cricket, one of the most dominant opening batters. 7558 Test runs and 37354 runs with 92 centuries. Had a stellar ODI career as well in World Cups—highest scorer of the 1979 World Cup.
One of the greatest all-rounders in the modern era. If the pitch has something to offer, his left-arm spin is tricky to tackle. A great show at #3 in the 2019 World Cup. In one phrase, a living legend of Bangladesh.
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Colombo Cricket Club, Somerset, Mumbai Indians
Apart from Sachin Tendulkar, he has the most man of the match awards.Revolutionized ODI powerplay batting in 1996, and a great asset with the ball as well.
Major Teams: Australia, Queensland, Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Chennai Super Kings, Brisbane Heat
An epic conversion rate (30-100s, 29-50s) and one of the most dominant openers of the generation. Dancing down the wicket with broad shoulders, he sent tremors in the opposition bowlers.
First England player to score 10,000 Test runs, Cook was the key constructor of England’s Ashes 2010 and India 2012 victories. Survived as an opener in one of the toughest eras to play fast and swing bowling. Best England Test batter (until Joe Root that is).
Major Teams: West Indies, Barbados, Middlesex, Western Province
Making one half of the third-highest Test partnership (6482 with Greenidge) of all time (and highest at the time), Haynes was a modern-day giant. In ODI cricket, he scored 8,648 runs with 17 centuries, a record that stood until 1998.
68. Robert George Dylan ‘Bob’ Willis (England, 1969-1984)
Major Teams: England, Surrey, Warwickshire, Northern Transvaal
One of the fastest English bowlers. Despite injuries, he took 325 Test wickets and played 90 Tests. Longevity and England fast bowlers is a common theme.
After being criticized for not converting fifties into hundreds, Joe Root’s stellar 2021 etched his name into greatness—1708 runs with six daddy hundreds. An ODI World Cup winner as well.
Major Teams: Sri Lanka, Sinhalese Sports Club, Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab
Class batter. 11,000 runs+ in each format. Most runs on a single ground (2921 runs in Sinhalese, Colombo), seven double hundreds, and a knack for long-partnerships.
Major Teams: West Indies, British Guiana, Lancashire
One of the most recognized left-handers in the game with the glasses & moustache, his calm demeanor was the feature that stood out the most. Playing over 100 Test matches and 490 first class matches, it was his captaincy with two ODI World Cups that crystalized his name in the hall of legends. Made a century in the inaugural World Cup final as well.
64. Fred “The Demon” Spofforth (Australia, 1874-1897)
Major Teams: Australia, South Australia, Victoria
Spofforth is regarded as “Australia’s first true fast bowler.”First bowler to take a Test hat-trick, he zoomed to 94 wickets in only 18 career Test matches.
According to Larwood’s Wisden obituary, he was “one of the rare fast bowlers in the game to spread terror in opposition ranks by the mere mentions of his name.” If Don Bradman struggled, then Larwood must have been really, really good.
Major Teams: Australia, New South Wales, Worcestershire, Rajasthan Royals
Averaging 60.00 after 87 tests with 28 hundreds is no joke. Started as a leg-spinner batting at #8 and ended up becoming the greatest modern-day Test batter.
