The longest form of cricket, 'Test' is also the toughest one. If a cricketer needs to excel in batting, he is recommended to play lots of tests, especially domestic. While today's generation looks towards the shortest format of the game, there are still some people who admire test cricket as it gives them extreme thrill. The longest format of the game tests one's patience, skills and determination. There are several players in cricket history who have made their careers remarkable with stunning performances for their teams. In this article, we'll have a look at some of the greatest batsmen in Test history.
10) Jacques Kallis
The former South African All-rounder Jacques Kallis was one of the most reliable players for his team. Kallis scored 13,289 runs in his test career and took a total of 292 wickets. He has 45 test centuries in his record and is also the third highest test match run scorer in history of cricket. His all-round credentials are praised greatly, which makes his batting record a part of his overall contribution. But his batting records in tests are alone enough for him to be called a legend of the game. The Proteas Player has won 23 Man of the Match awards, which is the most by any player in test history. He was always consistent and carried the South African middle order for a decade.
9) Kumar Sangakkara
Sangakkara is definitely one of the greatest cricketers of all time who represented Sri Lanka for more than a decade. The wicket-keeper batsman used to bat left-handed and is the second highest run scorer in all three formats of international cricket. He amassed a total of 28,016 runs that included 63 centuries. His average was always above 30, no matter in which country and condition he played. Sangakkara has eleven test double hundreds to his name, which is the second highest in the format. This shows his class as a batsman, who had the ability to adapt in every condition.
8) Viv Richards
Viv Richards is highly regarded as one of the greatest cricketers who represented the West Indies from 1974 to 1991. His iconic performances in ODI cricket are very well known. His contribution to the game and the way he revolutionized the game are well documented, but his contributions in test cricket cannot go unnoticed as well. His career average was 50.23 and he scored 24 centuries in tests. Richards amassed a total of 8540 runs in his career and was truly an important player for the West Indies team.
7) Garry Sobers
Garry Sobers is the Barbados all-rounder who played international cricket for West Indies between 1954-1974. His batting records and skills are alone enough to classify him as an all-time great. During his 93 test appearances, Sobers scored a total of 8032 runs at an average of 53.83, which included 26 centuries and 30 fifties. He also collected 235 wickets with an economy of 2.22. He also captained his team from 1965 to 1072. Sobers was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.
6) Ricky Ponting
The former Australian skipper is the most successful captain in international cricket history, with a winning rate of 67.91 and 220 wins in 324 matches. Ponting also holds the record for winning most ICC tournaments as a captain, which includes two world cups and two champion trophies. He also had impressive consistency in test cricket and scored a total of 13378 runs, which included 41 hundreds. Ponting is still one of the leading run scorers of the format, as he is one of the four players who crossed the 13,000 runs mark in the test format.
5) Brian Lara
The West Indian player Brian Lara was one of the best test players and has many notable and iconic knocks in his career history. Lara's unique style of play made him an instant attraction of the game. In spite of his constant struggles with the cricketing board and his instability with West Indies cricket, Lara never stopped making runs. Lara averaged 52.88 in tests and amassed a total of 11953 runs during his career with 34 hundreds. Since his retirement from international cricket, the game has witnessed many amazing batters, but no one has matched his style.
4) Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar made his Test debut for India in 1971 against West Indies. During Gavaskar's era, things were quite tough for batters, but he displayed his commendable skills, as he had both technique and temperament. Gavaskar had all the techniques that are needed in a batsman. The Indian cricketing legend is still an inspiration for young cricketers who look up to playing the longest format. Sunil Gavaskar used to open for the team, which is arguably the toughest task in cricket and he thrived greatly in that role. Today, he is considered the greatest test opener of all time.
3) Rahul Dravid
The former Indian team head coach and player Rahul Dravid earned the nickname "The Wall" for his exceptional defense skills in Test cricket. Dravid's persistence, temperament and batting skills made him one of the most important players of the Indian cricket team. During his career, Dravid played 286 innings in Test and holds a unique record of never getting out for a golden duck. He is also the only player to face the largest number of balls--31,258 in test cricket. He also spent 44,152 minutes at the crease, which is the highest time spent on the crease by any player in the longest format. Dravid is definitely one of the best and most praiseworthy players in history to play test cricket.
2) Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as the God of Cricket and there is no doubt about it, as no one can come near to him in terms of several stats. He is still the leading run scorer in the two major formats of the game. His records already prove why he was best in the game, but apart from that, his ability to adapt in any condition and play against all types of bowling attacks is what makes him incredible. Although Sachin has played along with some of the best batting partners, there were many instances when responsibility fell on his shoulder and he had to single-handedly carry the batting during games. Sachin recorded 51 hundreds in the longest format of cricket with an average of 53.78, with his highest score being 248*.
1) Don Bradman
The late Australian cricketer Don Bradman is indeed one of the greatest players to ever play the game, but because of the time and era he played in, he is not often considered a top name in the list. By some people, Bradman is also considered the greatest sportsperson in history. His test batting average was 99.94, which is considered to be the greatest achievement by any sportsperson. Bradman didn't like fame, but his exceptional performances made him Australia's first celebrity.