Most Runs In Test Cricket: Here is a list of the top five run scorers in Test cricket history. Joe Root, who was, until recently, fifth on the list, had leapfrogged Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis within a span of eight deliveries in the fourth England vs India Test match of the 2025 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and now stands at third on the list.
Here are the top 5 batters with the most runs in Test cricket:
Top 5 Batters With The Most Runs In Test Cricket
5) Rahul Dravid (13288 runs)
‘The Wall’ was an essential part of the legendary Indian batting order of the 2000s. And while Sachin Tendulkar was the face of Indian cricket at the time, many felt that Rahul Dravid, with his endless patience and flawless technique, was the heart of the batting order. Dravid has a massive legacy in cricket even after his retirement, coaching the Indian Cricket Team to the T20 World Cup in 2024 as the head coach.
In the 164 Tests he played, Rahul Dravid scored 13288 runs in 286 innings at an average of 52.31. He scored 63 half-centuries and 36 centuries, which is actually the lowest on this list.
Check Out: Top 5 Batters With The Most Runs In Test Cricket
4) Jacques Kallis (13289 runs)
Considered the greatest all-rounder in the history of cricket, Jacques Kallis has one of the highest run totals and wicket totals in cricket history. A player who could make any team in the world on the strength of his batting or bowling alone, the South African is one of the finest examples of true all-rounders in modern cricket.
One of the best batters of his era and the core of the Proteas team of the 2000s, Kallis scored 13289 runs in 166 Tests and 280 innings in his Test career. He scored these runs with an average of 55.37, the highest on this list. He scored 58 half-centuries and 45 centuries, the second-most in this format.
3) Joe Root (13317* runs)
The current English great with the bat, Joe Root, is the latest in the long line of top-class English Test batters, following Alastair Cook, who is the sixth-highest run scorer in Tests. For the longest time, Root was the only Test batter in England who was scoring any runs. A former captain, a leader, a part of the Fab Four, and the one who has the best legacy in Test cricket out of the four
At the time of writing this list, Joe Root is on strike and batting in the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against India. He currently has 13317 runs in 157* Tests and 286* innings with an average of 51.02. He scored 67 fifties and 37 hundreds. While he is currently second on this list, he can overtake the next man here and climb to second during his current inning.
Check Out: Top 5 Batters With The Most Runs In Test Cricket
2) Ricky Ponting (13378 runs)
Considered by some as the best batter of his generation, Ricky Ponting has many legacies in cricket. Today, he is a fine coach and mentor. In his playing days, he was a strong leader, a great and winning captain, and one of the greatest batters of all time.
In Test cricket, Ponting is one of the most successful captains of all time. As
A batter, he scored 13317 runs in 168 matches and 287 innings. He scored these runs at an average of 58.72. He made 62 half-centuries and 41 tons in the format and, for the longest time, has been the second-highest run scorer in Tests, behind –
1) Sachin Tendulkar (15921 runs)
The most prolific batter in multiple formats of the sport, Sachin Tendulkar’s 24-year-long international cricket career saw him break many records, make countless runs, and become the greatest batter of the sport, the face of the game across the world, and the ‘God of Cricket.”
Tendulkar played a whopping 200 Test matches, more than any other soul in history. He scored 15921 runs in 329 innings at an average of 53.78. He scored 68 half-centuries and 51 centuries, both of which are the most by an individual in the format.
Check Out: Top 5 Batters With The Most Runs In Test Cricket
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
