Test cricket is considered the most challenging format of cricket because it requires not only powerful strokes but also patience, technique, mental fortitude, and a deep understanding of the conditions.
Sports News: Test cricket is regarded as the most difficult and prestigious format of the game. This five-day match not only tests batsmen against the challenges posed by bowlers but also demands that they prove themselves against mental and physical fatigue. This is why a score of 400 or 500 runs in test cricket can often win a match, but when a team surpasses 800-900 runs, it becomes history in itself.
Today, we will discuss the 5 highest team innings scores in the history of Test cricket, with the highest score being 952 runs, which has remained unbroken for the past 27 years. Let's delve into the stories of these historic innings:
Sri Lanka vs India (1997) — 952/6
Played in 1997 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, this match between India and Sri Lanka is still recorded in Test history as the highest run-scoring team innings. India, batting first, declared their innings at 537/8, but in response, the Sri Lankan batsmen created such a storm that records were broken. Sanath Jayasuriya scored 340 runs and Roshan Mahanama scored a memorable 225 runs.
A partnership of 576 runs between the two is still considered one of the largest partnerships in Test history. Sri Lanka declared their innings at 952 runs for 6 wickets, and the match ended in a draw. It would not be wrong to call this innings the most outstanding team innings in Test cricket.
England vs Australia (1938) — 903/7
In the Ashes Test played at The Oval in 1938, England utterly routed Australia. England declared their first innings at 903/7. At that time, Leonard Hutton played a historic innings of 364 runs, which remained a record for decades. Australia crumbled under the pressure of this score and was all out for only 201 runs. England created history by winning this match by an innings and 579 runs.
England vs West Indies (1930) — 849 runs
In 1930, England scored 849 runs against the West Indies at the Kingston (Jamaica) ground. This match was drawn, but England's batting surprised everyone at the time. Long innings were not common then, so this score was considered a great achievement.
England vs Pakistan (2024) — 823/7
In 2024, England scored 823/7 against Pakistan in Multan and won the match. The special thing was that England scored this score in just 150 overs, which made it clear that the aggressive approach of teams continues even in today's modern Test cricket. In this match, many batsmen played with a fast strike rate, not giving Pakistan a chance to recover.
West Indies vs Pakistan (1958) — 790/3
In 1958, the West Indies scored a massive 790/3 against Pakistan in Kingston. The most significant aspect of this innings was Garfield Sobers' double century, who played a historic innings of 365 runs. In that era, this score was no less than a miracle for cricket lovers. Today, the tendency to play fast has increased in Test cricket so that results can be achieved. Instead of scoring 800-900 runs, teams want to win matches by declaring innings at 400-500. This is the reason why Sri Lanka's record of 952 runs has not been broken in the last 27 years.
