New Delhi. In the 149 year long history of Test cricket, conquering the ‘Everest’ of runs is not within everyone’s reach. The figure of 13,000 Test runs is that magical threshold. To overcome this, not only technology is required but also steely patience and decades of penance. Till now, only five maestros of the world – Sachin Tendulkar, Joe Root, Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis have been able to make their place in this elite club. These figures testify to the unwavering passion of these veterans and their dedication towards the game.
Sachin Tendulkar, who is called the God of Cricket, is at the top of this list. He has scored 15,921 runs in 200 test matches. Sachin’s career lasted for 24 years, in which he scored 51 centuries and 68 half-centuries. It was the beauty of his technique and dedication to the game that made him score runs against every great bowler and from every corner of the world. He is the first batsman in the world to touch the figure of 13,000.
Batsman who scored the most runs in test cricket.
Root left Ponting, Kallis and Dravid behind
England’s star batsman Joe Root has created a new ‘super-empire’ of runs in Test cricket. By crossing the historic mark of 13,000 Test runs, he has now become the second batsman in the world to score the most runs in the history of Test cricket after the great Sachin Tendulkar. Root has achieved this glorious position leaving behind legends like Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis. Due to his tremendous consistency and hunger to score runs, Root is now seen to be getting very close to Sachin’s ‘invincible’ world record of 15,921 runs. Root has scored 13943 runs in 163 Test matches which includes 41 centuries.
Ponting scored 13,378 runs in 168 test matches
Australia’s most successful captain and great batsman Ricky Ponting is at third place in this list. Ponting, popularly known as ‘Punter’, scored 13,378 runs in 168 test matches. There was no match to his pull shot and aggressive batting. Ponting scored 41 centuries in his career and led the ‘Golden Age’ of Australian cricket. His continuity was his biggest strength.
Kallis is considered the greatest all-rounder in cricket history.
Jacques Kallis is considered the greatest all-rounder in cricket history. He not only scored 13,289 runs in 166 Test matches, but also took 292 wickets. Kallis’s batting was like a rock, which seemed impossible for the bowlers to break. He scored 45 centuries in his Test career. His statistics show that he was as great a batsman as any specialist batsman.
Rahul Dravid is at fifth position in this list.
Rahul Dravid, who is called ‘The Wall’ of Indian cricket, is at fifth position in this list. Dravid scored 13,288 runs in 164 test matches. He has a unique record of playing the most number of balls (31,258) in Test cricket. Dravid’s game was a mixture of patience, concentration and unwavering technique. When Team India was in trouble, Dravid used to stand as a wall with his batting. He scored 36 centuries in his career.