Donald Bradman , holder of several Test batting records including highest batting average

Sachin Tendulkar is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test cricket

Test cricket is played between international cricket teams who are Full Members of the International Cricket Council (ICC).[1] Unlike One Day Internationals, Test matches consist of two innings per team, with no limit in the number of overs.[2] Test cricket is first-class cricket, so statistics and records set in Test matches are also counted toward first-class records. The duration of Tests, currently limited to five days, has varied through Test history, ranging from three days to timeless matches.[3][4] The earliest match now recognised as a Test was played between England and Australia in March 1877;[5] since then there have been over 2,000 Tests played by 13 teams. The frequency of Tests has steadily increased partly because of the increase in the number of Test-playing countries, and partly as cricket boards seek to maximise their revenue.[6]

Cricket is, by its nature, capable of generating large numbers of records and statistics.[7] This list details the most significant team and individual records in Test cricket.

As of January 2019, the most successful team in Test cricket, in terms of both wins and win percentage, is Australia, having won 385 of their 819 Tests (47.00%). Excluding teams who have only played a single Test (the ICC World XI, a rest of world team who played a single Test against Australia in 2005, and recent Test newcomers Ireland and Afghanistan) the least successful team are Bangladesh who have struggled since their introduction to Test cricket in 2000, leading to questioning of their Test status.[8][9][10]

Australian Donald Bradman, widely considered the greatest batsman of all time,[11][12] holds several personal and partnership records. He scored the most runs in a series, has the most double centuries and was a part of the record 5th wicket partnership. His most significant record is his batting average of 99.94. One of cricket's most famous statistics,[13][14] it stands almost 40 runs higher than any other batsman's average. Don Bradman is the only player in the world to have scored 5000 runs against a single opposition: 5028 runs against England.[15]

In the Manchester Test of 1956, England spin bowler Jim Laker took 19 wickets for 90 runs (19–90) which set not only the Test record for best match figures but also the first-class one.[16] In taking 10–53 in the second innings he became the first bowler to capture all ten wickets in a Test match innings, and his analysis remains the best innings figures. Indian Leg-spinner Anil Kumble is the only other bowler to have taken 10 wickets in an innings, claiming 10–74 against Pakistan in 1999.[17] West Indies batsman Brian Lara has the highest individual score in Test cricket: he scored 400 not out against England in 2004 to surpass the innings of 380 by Matthew Hayden six months earlier. Lara had held the record before Hayden, with a score of 375 against England 10 years earlier.[18] Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq holds the record of the fastest Test half century, scoring 50 runs from 21 balls. The record for the fastest Test century is held by New Zealand's Brendon McCullum, who scored 100 runs from 54 balls in his final Test match.

The trend of countries to increase the number of Test matches they play means that the aggregate lists are dominated by modern players. Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the highest Test wicket-taker in December 2007, when he passed Shane Warne's total of 708 wickets.[19] Within a year, the equivalent batting record of highest run-scorer had also changed hands: Sachin Tendulkar surpassed the tally of 11,953 runs by Brian Lara.[20] The record for most dismissals by a wicket-keeper is held by Mark Boucher of South Africa[21] while the record for most catches by a fielder is held by Rahul Dravid.[22]

Listing criteria

In general the top five are listed in each category (except when there is a tie for the last place among the five, when all the tied record holders are noted).

Listing notation

Team notation

(300–3) indicates that a team scored 300 runs for three wickets and the innings was closed, either due to a successful run chase or if no playing time remained

(300–3 d) indicates that a team scored 300 runs for three wickets, and declared its innings closed

(300) indicates that a team scored 300 runs and was all out

Batting notation

(100) indicates that a batsman scored 100 runs and was out

(100*) indicates that a batsman scored 100 runs and was not out

Bowling notation

(5–100) indicates that a bowler has captured 5 wickets while conceding 100 runs

Currently playing

indicates a current Test cricketer

Seasons

Domestic cricket seasons in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the West Indies may span two calendar years, and are by convention said to be played in (e.g.) "2008–09". A cricket season in England is described as a single year. e.g. "2009". An international Test series may be for a much shorter duration, and Cricinfo treats this issue by stating "any series or matches which began between May and September of any given year will appear in the relevant single year season and any that began between October and April will appear in the relevant cross-year season".[23] In the record tables, a two-year span generally indicates that the record was set within a domestic season in one of the above named countries.

Team records

Team wins, losses and draws

Team First Test match Matches Won Lost Tied Drawn % Won Afghanistan 14 June 2018 1 0 1 0 0 0.00 Australia 15 March 1877 819 384 222 2 209 47.00 Bangladesh 10 November 2000 112 13 83 0 16 11.60 England 15 March 1877 1008 364 299 0 345 36.11 India 25 June 1932 533 150 165 1 216 28.14 Ireland 11 May 2018 1 0 1 0 0 0.00 New Zealand 10 January 1930 431 95 171 0 164 22.04 Pakistan 16 October 1952 423 136 127 0 159 32.15 South Africa 12 March 1889 430 164 142 0 124 38.13 Sri Lanka 17 February 1982 280 88 106 0 84 31.42 West Indies 23 June 1928 540 172 192 1 175 31.85 Zimbabwe 18 October 1992 107 12 68 0 27 11.21 ICC World XI 14 October 2005 1 0 1 0 0 0.00 Last updated: 28 January 2019 [24]

Result records

Greatest win margins (by innings)

Greatest win margin (by runs)

Matches that finished with scores level

Narrowest win margin (by wickets)

Narrowest win margin (by runs)

Victory after following-on

Most consecutive wins

Team scoring records

Individual records

Individual records (batting)

Career runs

Most runs in each batting position

Highest career batting average

Innings or series

Calendar year and between dismissals

Highest scores at each batting position

Innings as captain

Innings carrying the bat

Most runs in an over

Centuries

Most Test quadruple centuries Quadruple centuries Player Matches 1 Brian Lara 131 Last updated: 15 June 2016 [59]

Half Centuries

Most fours in career

Individual records (bowling)

Career

Series

Innings

Match records

Innings as captain

Match records as captain

Individual records (fielding)

Most catches in Test career

Individual records (wicket-keeping)

Individual records (as an all-rounder)

Individual records (other)

Partnership records

Highest partnership for each wicket

Highest partnerships

See also