There is no doubt that Test cricket is one of the most challenging formats in the game of cricket. This is because a player needs to give it all, both mentally and physically, for five consecutive days on the field. That is why a player who plays international cricket wants to represent his country in red-ball cricket as well.
However, this game has seen some extraordinary individual performances over the years. However, there is only one man who holds the record for the highest individual score in Test Cricket. But do you know how many batters came close to that figure?
List of Highest Individual score in Test cricket
| Player | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Lara | 400* | 582 | 43 | 4 | England | St John’s | 10 Apr 2004 |
| Mathew Hayden | 380 | 437 | 38 | 11 | Zimbabwe | Perth | 9 Oct 2003 |
| Brian Lara | 375 | 538 | 45 | 0 | England | St John’s | 16 Apr 1994 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 374 | 572 | 43 | 1 | South Africa | Colombo (SSC) | 27 Jul 2006 |
| Garry Sobers | 365* | 485 | 38 | 0 | Pakistan | Kingston | 26 Feb 1958 |
| Leonard Hutton | 364 | 847 | 35 | 0 | Australia | The Oval | 20 Aug 1938 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 340 | 578 | 36 | 2 | India | Colombo (RPS) | 2 Aug 1997 |
| Hanif Mohammad | 337 | 428 | 24 | 0 | West Indies | Bridgetown | 17 Jan 1958 |
| Wally Hammond | 336* | 418 | 34 | 10 | New Zealand | Auckland | 31 Mar 1933 |
| David Warner | 335* | 564 | 39 | 1 | Pakistan | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
So in this article, we will cover the highest individual scores in the history of Test cricket.
3. Brain Lara (375 runs) against England on 16 Apr 1994
Brain Lara is the only batter in the history of the game that has touched 375 and above twice in Test cricket. And that is why he holds two out of the three highest individual scores. His 375 came up against England on April 16, 1994. It was the fifth test of the five-match series at St. John’s. After winning the toss, West Indies chose to bat first and declared their first innings at 593/5 in 180.2 overs.
It was because of an incredible innings from Brain Lara, who scored a massive 375 runs off 538 balls, including 45 boundaries. That was registered in the records book as the highest individual score for nine years, when Mathew Hayden broke that. In reply to a huge first innings total, England also played well and got all out at the exact score of 593. In the end, that match was a draw after two massive performances from both teams. But Lara was incredible and won the “Man of the Match”.
2. Mathew Hayden (380 runs) against Zimbabwe 9 Oct 2003
Lara’s record of 375 was broken by Mathew Hayden after nine years on October 9, 2003. It was a match between Zimbabwe and Australia at Perth. Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl first. And Australia made full use of the opportunity. They scored 735/6 and decaled their first innings. This was because of the record-breaking innings from Hayden.
The southpaw scored 380 runs off 437 balls, including 38 boundaries and 11 sixes. That innings at that time was the highest individual score in test cricket. In reply, Zimbabwe managed only 239 runs in their first innings and were forced to follow on. The second innings was even worse, and they were dismissed for 321 runs, losing the match by an innings and 175 runs. Hayden was named the “Man of the Match.”
1. Brain Lara (400* runs) against England (Highest individual score ever in test cricket)
Well, Hayden’s 380-run innings could only remain as the highest individual knock for just six months. Because Brain Lara performed another marathon inning to break every record in history. It was a match against the same opposition at the same venue. It was England against on April 10–14, 2004 at St. John’s. West Indies scored 751/5 in their first innings while batting first. But it was the innings of a lifetime from Lara.
He remained unbeaten at 400* runs, having batted for almost 13 hours to become the first man on the planet to reach the 400-run mark. West Indies declared at 751 and defeated England by 285 runs in their first innings thanks to his innings. As a result, England were forced to play the follow on with a trail of 466 runs. The English team did well and scored 422/5, and the match was called a draw. But that match was known for Lara’s 400.