Going out to the middle to face a barrage of bouncers, yorkers, ‘doosras’, and flippers with close-in fielders ready to pounce is a daunting task not many can hold up to. When it comes to batting records in Test cricket, there are a complex array of statistics, ranging from Sir Don Bradman’s incredible Test batting average to Courtney Walsh’s number of ducks.
On the lists of most of the positive records, you will find names of some of the most celebrated batting talents the world has ever produced. Some of them achieved singular feats of brilliance, while others maintained their performance over periods nearing two decades.
While some records from the days of yore stand strong, the main change over the almost century-and-a-half of Test records has been the number of matches players take part in over their careers. In the first 75 years of Test cricket, that number never exceeded double figures, but nowadays it’s quite common. More matches also mean higher cumulative numbers, and thus most such stats belong to modern players.
No matter what stats you fancy taking a look at, we’ve got all your Test batting records right here.