Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most runs in Test, having scored 15,921 runs in a record 200 Tests.

The legendary cricketer, who made his Test debut in 1989 against Pakistan, slammed 51 centuries and 68 fifties in his 24-year career and holds a multitude of records, one being most centuries in the longest format.

If there is something that eluded Tendulkar, it is a triple ton in red-ball cricket as his highest score was an unbeaten 248 against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2004.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting comes in second on the list for most runs in Test. The most successful ODI captain of all time, Ponting hit 13,378 runs in 168 matches and is the only player to finish with most Test runs in a calendar year twice.

Legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis amassed 13,289 Test runs in 166 matches, thus sits third for most runs in Test. Kallis has hit the second-most Test centuries in red-ball cricket and is also remembered as one of the leading six-hitting machines in the format.

Rahul Dravid and Alastair Cook round up the top five list for most runs in Test.

Dravid, for one, scored 13,288 Test runs in 164 matches at an average of 52.31 and holds the record for most balls faced in Tests. In his 16-year Test career, ‘The Wall’ hit 36 hundreds and 63 half-centuries.

Alastair Cook, meanwhile, is England’s record Test run-getter with 12,472 runs in 161 Tests and the most successful left-handed batter in Tests.

Among active cricketers, England’s Joe Root has registered the most runs in Test. The England cricket team skipper has 12,274 runs in 145 matches.

Most runs in Test

Player Team Career span Matches Runs Average High score 100s 50s
Sachin Tendulkar India 1989-2013 200 15,921 53.78 248* 51 68
Ricky Ponting Australia 1995-2012 168 13,378 51.85 257 41 62
Jacques Kallis South Africa 1995-2013 166 13,289 55.37 244 45 58
Rahul Dravid India 1996-2012 164 13,288 52.31 270 36 63
Alastair Cook England 2006-2018 161 12,472 45.35 294 33 57

 

Featured photo: AFP /  DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY