Batsmen Who Have Faced the Most Balls in Test Cricket

List of Batsmen Who Have Faced Most Balls In Test Cricket :Test cricket is the most difficult format of cricket. It requires batsmen to focus and concentrate for many days. To score big runs in Test cricket, batsmen often have to face hundreds of balls and spend hours at the crease. Some batsmen in the history of test cricket have faced a lot of balls and spent a lot of time batting in Test matches.

This article will look at the best batsmen who have faced the most balls and spent the most time batting in Test cricket.

Most Balls Faced by a Player in Test Matches

Below is the list of players who have faced the most balls in Test matches.

BATSMEN	SPAN	TEST MATCHES PLAYED	TOTAL BALLS FACED
Rahul Dravid	1996-2012	164	31258
Sachin Tendulkar	1989-2013	200	29437
Jacques Kallis	1995-2013	166	28903
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	1994-2015	164	27395
Allan Border	1978-1994	156	27002
Alastair Cook	2006-2018	161	26562
Mahela Jayawardene	1997-2014	149	22959
Kumar Sangakkara	2000-2015	134	22882
Ricky Ponting	1995-2012	168	22782
Steve Waugh	1985-2004	168	22461

1. Rahul Dravid – (31,258 Balls faced)

Rahul Dravid is the Indian legend who has faced the most balls in Test cricket matches. He played 164 Test matches from 1996 to 2012 and faced most balls in test 31,258 . He scored 13,288 runs at an average of 52.31, including 36 centuries and 63 half-centuries.

Facing over 31,000 balls shows how Dravid was a disciplined and tireless batsman who could bat for long periods of time and tire out the bowlers. He batted at number 3 in the order and had great concentration skills, which allowed him to bat for days and defend India’s innings.

In one marathon Test innings against Australia in 2001, he batted for over 750 minutes. Even though he was a team-oriented and defensive batsman, he still scored over 13,000 runs because of his great technique and concentration.

2. Sachin Tendulkar (29,437 Balls faced)

Sachin Tendulkar is the second batter on the list of batsmen who faced the most balls in Test cricket. He faced 29,437 balls in 200 Test matches for India. This shows how he was able to stay at the crease for a long time and face a lot of balls.

Tendulkar also holds the record for the most Test runs ever, with 15,921 runs. This shows how he was able to score a lot of runs by facing a lot of balls and batting for a long time.

3. Jacques Kallis (28,903 Balls faced)

Jacques Kallis is the third batter on the list of batsmen who faced the most balls in Test cricket. Kallis faced 28,903 balls in 166 matches for South Africa.

This shows how he was a great all-rounder, as he was able to both bat for a long time and take important wickets for his team.

4. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (27,395 Balls faced)

The fourth batter on the list of batsmen who faced the most balls in Test cricket is Shivnarine Chanderpaul. He is a true legend of the game and one of the best left-handed batters of all time. He used to play long innings while being in the middle for long periods, and he has over 10,000 Test runs to his name, which is very impressive.

5. Allan Border (27,002 Balls faced)

Border faced 27,002 balls across 156 matches for Australia, holding the record for the most balls faced by an Australian player in Test cricket.

6. Alastair Cook (26,562 Balls faced)

Cook faced 26,562 balls for England in 161 Test matches, serving as England’s reliable opener for over a decade, earning a reputation as the rock at the top of the order.

Most 300 Plus Runs Scores in ODI Cricket by Teams

Most Balls Faced in a Single Test Innings

While facing over 20,000 balls in a whole career is amazing, some batsmen have even managed to set records for the number of balls they faced in a single Test  match innings so most balls faced by a player in a single Test innings belongs to Sir Leonard Hutton of England.

PLAYERS	BALLS	RUNS	MINUTES OF PLAY	OPPOSITION
Leonard Hutton (ENG)	847	364	797	AUSTRALIA
Glenn Turner (NZ)	759	259	704	WEST INDIES
Bob Simpson (AUS)	743	311	762	ENGLAND
Sid Barnes (AUS)	667	234	649	ENGLAND
Gary Kirsten (SA)	642	275	878	ENGLAND
Andy Sandham (ENG)	640	325	600	WEST INDIES
Ken Barrington (ENG)	624	256	683	AUSTRALIA
Wally Hammond (ENG)	605	251	461	AUSTRALIA
Wally Hammond (ENG)	603	177	440	AUSTRALIA
Bob Cowper (AUS)	589	307	727	ENGLAND

Who Faces the Most Balls in Test Cricket Today?

While it is less common for batsmen to bat for long periods of time today, some active players are still known for their ability to face a lot of balls and bat for a long time. These include:

• Joe Root – The England captain has already faced over 15,000 balls in just 121 matches and is known for scoring big hundreds.
• Cheteshwar Pujara – India’s new “wall” has faced over 13,000 balls in just 96 matches, including huge innings against Australia.
• Kane Williamson – New Zealand’s captain is also their rock at number 3, having already faced almost 12,000 balls in just 91 matches.
• Azhar Ali – The Pakistan senior batsman has faced over 10,000 deliveries in his 94 Test matches.