The game has seen many brilliant batsmen over the years. However, few of them went on to become legends. That is why there are only a few players; that always stays in the mind. In this article, we will discuss such legends who dominated the game of cricket for a long time and joined an elite club of over 11,000 test runs.
There are a total of 10 players who have completed 11,000 milestones in the Test format. Only two Indians make this list. Those are Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. But here we will talk about the fastest players to reach 11,000 runs. So let’s check.
5. Rahul Dravid (India) – 234 innings
Former Indian captain and one of the best red-ball batsmen, Rahul Dravid, is the joint-fifth fastest batter on the list. Dravid was known for his solid batting approach, which was a big challenge for any bowler. That is why he was known as “The Wall” of the Indian team. He came onto the scene in June 1996 against England and made an impression right away with a brisk 95. Dravid reached 11,000 runs in his 234th inning. He ended up with 13288 runs in 164 games, including 36 centuries and 63 half-centuries.
4. Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 223 innings
The man who ended with the most runs and most centuries in international centuries. He is the “Littler Master,” Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin made his debut in November 1989 against Paksitan at the age of 16. He ended up with the longest career, which spanned 24 years. During his career, he set many records. Sachin completed 11,000 test runs in 223 innings. He had the most runs in test format overall. He made 15921 runs in 2000 Tests, with 51 centuries and 68 half-centuries.
3. Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 222 innings
Former Australia 2003 and 2007 World Cup winning-captain Ricky Ponting is third on the list. Ponting was an aggressive batsman, which showed in his captaincy stint as well. He made his debut in December 1995, and it took him 222 innings to reach the landmark of 11,000 runs in the longest format. Ponting ended as the second highest run-getter in the red-ball format. He scored 133378 runs in 168 games, averaging 51.85. Ponting also had 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries to his name.
2. Brain Lara (West Indies) – 213 innings
When it comes to batting, a left-hander looks more elegant than a right-hander. Thus, we have a legendary left-hander second on the list. Former West Indian captain Brain Lara is the second fastest batter, and it took him 213 innings to reach this milestone. Lara made his debut in December 1990 against Pakistan and went on to make the record for the highest individual test score. His not-out 400 is the highest ever recorded. Lara made 11953 runs in 131 games, with 34 centuries and 48 half-centuries.
1. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 208 innings
Sri Lanka was a dominant team between 2000 and 2010. It was because they had some legendary names like Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, and many more. But one name that stood out was wicketkeeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara, who is at the top of the list. Sanga made his debut in July 2000 against South Africa, and it took him just 208 innings to reach 11,000 test runs in his career. He scored 12400 runs in 134 games, with 38 centuries and 52 half-centuries.
List of Fastest 11000 runs in Test Cricket
| Player | Against | Match Date | Debut | Time | Mts | Inns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | Bangladesh | 4 Feb 2014 | 20 Jul 2000 | 13y 199d | 122 | 208 |
| Brain Lara (WI) | Australia | 25 Nov 2005 | 6 Dec 1990 | 14y 354d | 121 | 213 |
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | England | 8 Jul 2009 | 8 Dec 1995 | 13y 212d | 132 | 222 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | England | 27 Jul 2007 | 15 Nov 1989 | 17y 254d | 139 | 223 |
| Rahul Dravid (IND) | Sri Lanka | 16 Nov 2009 | 20 Jun 1996 | 13y 149d | 135 | 234 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | West Indies | 18 Jun 2010 | 14 Dec 1995 | 14y 186d | 139 | 234 |
| Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | Pakistan | 16 Jan 2014 | 2 Aug 1997 | 16y 167d | 141 | 237 |
| Alastair Cook (ENG) | India | 16 Dec 2016 | 1 Mar 2006 | 10y 290d | 140 | 252 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) | New Zealand | 3 Dec 2013 | 17 Mar 1994 | 19y 261d | 151 | 256 |
| Alan Border (AUS) | South Africa | 28 Jan 1994 | 29 Dec 1978 | 15y 30d | 153 | 259 |