Highest First Innings Aggregates by Both Teams in Test History

Test cricket is all about scoring a lot of runs and keeping the opposition in the field for as long as possible. This is why the main aim of the batting sides in this format is to make sure they bat once and have runs enough for their bowlers to take 20 wickets.

However, cricket is a sport where pitch and overhead conditions play a key role in determining the result of a game and it is more so in Tests. There will be instances where the surface aids both batters & bowlers alike and there will be times where there is little help for the bowlers. The latter makes bowlers’ task much harder, allowing batters to make merry.

The below list talks about those games where the bat dominated the ball, especially in the first innings of a Test match. Here are the highest first innings aggregates of both teams in a Test match.

Key Insights

120 – The number of times the aggregate of both teams in the first innings of a Test match has crossed the 1000-run mark. When we keep the minimum run aggregate criteria for the first innings to be 1200, then five other Test matches would join the above list.

3 – This is the number of times either side has won a Test after the first innings aggregate has gone over 1200 runs. England has won twice, both times against Pakistan away from home and the other instance is when India inflicted a loss to England at Chennai in 2016, thanks to a fantastic triple ton by Karun Nair.

1379 – This is the highest first innings aggregate in Test to yield a result. England won this game by an inning & 47 runs after scoring a mammoth 823 in the first innings. It was in response to Pakistan’s first innings score of 556. Read more about this once-in-a-career shocking record by Pakistan here.

952 – The highest-ever total in Test cricket belongs to Sri Lanka (read the top ten here) and this occurred in a Test against India at Colombo back in 1997. India had earlier piled up a total of 537/8d and the hosts overhauled to take the first innings against to 1489, which remains the highest in Test cricket.