The Test format is the pinnacle of the gentleman’s game, cricket, which comes with its challenges that players need to adapt to. Some players embrace these challenges with courage and dedication, staying on the crease for a longer time and reaching monumental scores.
One fine example of this is Brian Lara, who kept on batting and amassed a staggering 400* runs. So, in this article, we’ll look at the top 10 highest individual scores in Test cricket.
Highest Individual Scores in Test Cricket
| Player | Score (Balls) | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Lara (WI) | 400* (582) | England | St John’s | 10 Apr 2004 |
| Matthew Hayden (AUS) | 380 (437) | Zimbabwe | Perth | 09 Oct 2003 |
| Brian Lara (WI) | 375 (538) | England | St John’s | 16 Apr 1994 |
| Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | 374 (572) | South Africa | Colombo (SSC) | 27 Jul 2006 |
| Garry Sobers (WI) | 365* (NA) | Pakistan | Kingston | 26 Feb 1958 |
| Leonard Hutton (ENG) | 364 (847) | Australia | The Oval | 20 Aug 1938 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 340 (578) | India | Colombo (RPS) | 02 Aug 1997 |
| Hanif Mohammad (PAK) | 337 (NA) | West Indies | Bridgetown | 17 Jan 1958 |
| Wally Hammond (ENG) | 336* (NA) | New Zealand | Auckland | 31 Mar 1933 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 335* (418) | Pakistan | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
Key Insights
400: The West Indies batting maestro, Brian Lara, holds the record for the highest individual score in the Test format. Lara scored an unbeaten 400 runs against England in 2004 to reclaim his top spot from Matthew Hayden.
10: What’s more astounding is that after almost 10 years, Lara surpassed his career-best score to sit at the top. Coincidentally, his 400* and 375 both came against England at Saint John’s, Antigua.
1: Moreover, Brian Lara’s unbeaten quadruple century is also the highest individual score in Test cricket as a captain.
325: England’s Andy Sandham became the first batter to hit a triple century in Test cricket. Sandham scored 325 runs against the West Indies at Kingston in April 1930, in what was his career’s last Test match.
39 & 21: When Andy Sandham scored his triple ton, he became the oldest player to reach the 300 mark at the age of 39 years and 271 days. The West Indies Garry Sobers, on the other hand, became the youngest player to score a triple hundred at the age of 21 years and 213 days. Sobers scored an unbeaten 365* against Pakistan in 1958.
4: Only 4 batters — Don Bradman, Virender Sehwag, Brian Lara, and Chris Gayle — have smashed 2 or more 290+ scores in the Test format.
278: Virender Sehwag, known for his explosive knocks, stayed true to his aggressive style of play and hammered the fastest Test triple hundred off just 278 balls against South Africa.
