Test Cricket is generally associated with batsmen having a sound defense. Still, sometimes the attacking gameplay could be the need of the hour, and only a few batsmen have made it possible.
It is crucial to understand the attacking openers in Test cricket do have a strong defense. They have the entertainment factor in their hands, and they will be aware of the risks too. The crowd loves to watch from the stands when lots of runs are scored in a single day in a Test match.
It is time to look at the top 10 instances of batters scoring the most runs in a single day in a Test match.
Most Runs by a Batter in a Day of a Test Match
| Player | Runs in a Day | Start | Finish | Against | Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don Bradman (AUS) | 309 | 0 | 309* | England | Leeds | 11 Jul 1930 |
| Wally Hammond (ENG) | 295 | 41* | 336 | New Zealand | Auckland | 31 Mar 1933 |
| Virender Sehwag (IND) | 284 | 0 | 284* | Sri Lanka | Brabourne | 2 Dec 2009 |
| Denis Compton (ENG) | 273 | 5* | 278 | Pakistan | Nottingham | 1 Jul 1954 |
| Don Bradman (AUS) | 271 | 0 | 271* | England | Leeds | 20 Jul 1934 |
| Wiaan Mulder (SA) | 264 | 0 | 264* | Zimbabwe | Bulawayo | 6 Jul 2025 |
| Virender Sehwag (IND) | 257 | 52* | 309* | South Africa | Chennai | 26 Mar 2008 |
| Don Bradman (AUS) | 244 | 0 | 244 | England | The Oval | 18 Aug 1934 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 244 | 0 | 244* | New Zealand | Perth | 13 Nov 2015 |
| Frank Worrell (WI) | 239 | 0 | 239* | England | Nottingham | 20 Jul 1950 |
Key Insights
Don Bradman has scored the most runs in a day of a Test match. He remained unbeaten on 309 on the first day of the 1930 Headingley Test. This was his maiden Test triple ton.
Bradman remains the only batter to score a triple century in a single day of a Test match.
Bradman brought up six double centuries in a day, the most by a batter in Test cricket. Wally Hammond follows him with three double tons, while Aravinda de Silva, Graeme Smith, and Virender Sehwag scored two each in a day.
Hammond’s 295 runs are the most by a batter on the second day of a Test match. He started the day on 41 and added 295 more to the tally to end up with 336 against New Zealand in the 1933 Auckland Test.
Sehwag’s 257 is the highest run aggregate by a batter on day three. He resumed his knock on 52 and remained not out on 309 at the end of the day against South Africa in the 2008 Chennai Test. Meanwhile, Sehwag brought up the fastest Test triple hundred off 278 balls. Later, on day four, he fell for 319, the highest Test score for India.
The day four record belongs to another Indian batter, Karun Nair. He added 232 runs to his day three unbeaten score of 71 to bring up 303.
Interestingly, Nair converted his maiden century into a triple century. He is one of the three batters, along with Garry Sobers and Bob Simpson, to convert their maiden Test century into a triple ton.
Nair’s 303 powered India to 757 for 7 (declared) against England in 2016, their highest innings total in this format.
Gordon Greenidge’s unbeaten 214 is the highest aggregate by a batter on day five. His knock helped the West Indies chase down the 342-run target set by England on the last day of the Lord’s 1984 Test.
Wiaan Mulder’s unbeaten 264 runs against Zimbabwe in 2025 are the most by a captain in a single day of a Test match. Later, he went on to stay not out on 367, the highest score on captaincy debut in Tests.
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