A wicketkeeper needs to always be on their toes in Tests, as they might get a stumping chance or have to grab a catch by diving in the air.
But apart from this, a wicketkeeper-batter also needs to display their batting prowess when the situation arises. Over the years, we have witnessed some dashing keeper-batters dazzle the field with their batting excellence.
In this article, we’ll look at the top 10 wicketkeepers with the most runs in Test cricket.
Most Runs by a Wicketkeeper in Tests
| Player | Innings | Runs as WK | High Score | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 137 | 5570 | 204* | 47.60 |
| Mark Boucher (SA) | 206 | 5515 | 125 | 30.30 |
| MS Dhoni (IND) | 144 | 4876 | 224 | 38.09 |
| Alec Stewart (ENG) | 145 | 4540 | 173 | 34.92 |
| Andy Flower (ZIM) | 100 | 4404 | 232* | 53.70 |
| Alan Knott (ENG) | 149 | 4389 | 135 | 32.75 |
| Ian Healy (AUS) | 182 | 4356 | 161* | 27.39 |
| Matt Prior (ENG) | 123 | 4099 | 131* | 40.18 |
| Rod Marsh (AUS) | 150 | 3633 | 132 | 26.51 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim (BAN) | 104 | 3515 | 219* | 37.00 |
Key Insights
5570: Australia’s Adam Gilchrist holds the record for scoring the most runs as a wicketkeeper in the Test format. The legendary keeper-batter boasts an incredible tally of 5570 runs at an impressive average of 47.60. And he occupies the third spot for scoring the most runs as a keeper in all formats.
2: Gilchrist and Mark Boucher are the only 2 keeper-batters with 5000+ Test runs. Boucher had a 15-year career — 6 years longer than Gilchrist — but he fell short of capturing the top spot by a few runs.
17: During his illustrious Test career, Gilchrist also smashed 17 centuries, which is the most hundreds by a keeper in the longer format. The only other batter who has more than 10 hundreds as a keeper-batter is Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower with 12 tons.
Home Favorite: More than 3000 runs of Mark Boucher came at his home venues (South Africa) and he is the only player to do so. Find out cricketers here who have amassed the most runs in Tests at home.
53.70: Speaking of Andy Flower, the Zimbabwean great has the highest batting average among keeper-batters with 3000+ Test runs. Flower averaged a good 53.70 with the bat while scoring 4404 runs in 100 innings.
232: Moreover, Flower smashed the highest individual score by a wicketkeeper-batter in Tests in November 2000. He scored an unbeaten 232, helping his side draw the match against India after being asked to follow on.
