Top 10 Players with The Highest Individual Score in Tests

Test cricket is a game of patience and skill, where batsmen often play long, challenging innings. While scoring 150-200 runs in a Test match is impressive, some players have gone even further, achieving huge scores for their teams.

These innings demonstrate the batsmen’s talent and their ability to stay focused for long stretches. We will list the highest Test scores by batsmen, answer the question “What is the highest individual score in a Test?”, and cover the top 10 players with the highest individual scores in Test cricket history.

Top 10 Players with The Highest Individual Score in Tests

1. Brian Lara (West Indies) – 400* Runs

Topping the Highest Test score batsman list is the legendary West Indian batsman, Brian Lara, who holds the record for the highest individual score in a test. Lara scored 400 runs on 10th April 2004, against England at St. John’s. He scored an unbeaten 400 runs off 582 balls, a knock that included 43 fours and 4 sixes. His marathon innings led the West Indies to declare their first innings at 751/5.

The match eventually ended in a draw, but Lara’s record-breaking innings is still celebrated as one of the greatest in the history of the game.

2. Matthew Hayden (Australia) – 380 Runs

Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden comes in second on the list with 380 runs. He scored against Zimbabwe on 9th October 2003 in Perth. Hayden’s innings, which included 38 fours and 11 sixes, came off 437 balls.

Australia declared their innings at 735/6 and went on to win the match by an innings and 175 runs.

3. Brian Lara (West Indies) – 375 Runs

Brian Lara features again on the list, this time for his innings of 375 runs against England on 16th April 1994 at St. John’s. This innings, which was the highest individual score in a test at that time, lasted 538 balls and included 45 boundaries.

The West Indies declared their innings at 593/5, and the match ended in a draw. Lara’s 375 was the highest individual score in Test cricket until he surpassed it himself a decade later with his unbeaten 400.

4. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 374 Runs

Sri Lankan cricket legend Mahela Jayawardene secured his place in the history books with a remarkable 374 runs against South Africa on 27th July 2006 in Colombo. Batting first, Sri Lanka declared their innings at 756/5 after Jayawardene’s marathon effort, which included 43 fours and a six off 572 balls.

This innings helped Sri Lanka secure a dominant victory by an innings and 153 runs. Jayawardene’s knock is the highest by a Sri Lankan batsman in Test cricket and ranks fourth on the all-time list.

5. Sir Garry Sobers (West Indies) – 365* Runs

The legendary Sir Garry Sobers scored 365 runs against Pakistan on 26th February 1958 in Kingston. Sobers, who was just 21 years old at the time, hit 38 fours in his 614-ball innings.

West Indies declared their innings at 790/3 and went on to win the match by an innings and 174 runs. Sobers’ record stood for 36 years before it was broken by Brian Lara in 1994.

6. Leonard Hutton (England) – 364 Runs

Leonard Hutton, one of England’s greatest cricketers, scored 364 runs against Australia at The Oval on 20th August 1938. His innings, which spanned 847 balls and included 35 boundaries, helped England post a massive total of 903/7, the second-highest Test total of all time. England won the match by an innings and 579 runs, with Hutton’s knock being the cornerstone of their victory.

7. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – 340 Runs

Sri Lankan batting icon Sanath Jayasuriya played a historic innings of 340 runs against India on 2nd August 1997 in Colombo. His 578-ball knock, which included 36 fours and 2 sixes, helped Sri Lanka post the highest team total in Test cricket history—952/6 declared. This record-breaking performance helped Sri Lanka secure a draw in the match, as neither team batted in the second innings.

8. Hanif Mohammad (Pakistan) – 337 Runs

Hanif Mohammad, Pakistan’s first cricket superstar, scored 337 runs against the West Indies on 17th January 1958 in Bridgetown. Forced to follow-on after trailing by 473 runs, Hanif played one of the longest innings in Test history, facing 970 balls and hitting 24 boundaries. His resilience helped Pakistan save the match, which ended in a draw.

9. Wally Hammond (England) – 336* Runs

Wally Hammond, one of England’s greatest batsmen, scored an unbeaten 336 runs against New Zealand on 31st March 1933 in Auckland. His innings, which included 34 fours and 10 sixes, helped England post 548/7 in response to New Zealand’s 158. Despite Hammond’s heroics, the match ended in a draw.

10. David Warner (Australia) – 335* Runs

Australian opener David Warner rounds off the Highest Test score batsman list with 335 runs against Pakistan on 29th November 2019 in Adelaide. Warner’s innings, which came off 418 balls and included 39 fours and a six, helped Australia declare at 589/3. Australia went on to win the match by an innings and 48 runs, with Warner’s knock being the highlight of the match.

FAQs

What is the highest individual score in a test?

The highest individual score in a Test match is 400*, achieved by Brian Lara against England in 2004 at St. John’s.

Who hit 500 runs in Test?

Brian Lara is the only player to score 500 runs in a single innings of a first-class match, but not in a Test match. His record was set in an English County match.

Did Sri Lanka score 952 runs in a Test match?

Yes, Sri Lanka scored 952/6 declared against India in Colombo in August 1997, which remains the highest team total in Test cricket history.