10 G.O.A.T. Test Cricket Innings
People all over the world also like to play cricket in different ways. Even wealthy people are now putting money into the game to profit off its popularity. It brings people together for the better. It also helps us get along better with other countries and keeps the sportsman spirit alive. Many incredible batting innings have already happened in cricket, which fans love. Also, they made a place for themselves in the history of cricket. And here are the best innings ever played in a test match.
1. Don Bradman
Runs – 270
Against – England
Where – Melbourne
When – 1936-37
Bradman was the captain of Australia’s team for the first Test Series he played in. Australia lost the first two Test Matches by a lot, and Bradman made a “Duck” in each one. In the third game, Australia had lost 5 wickets and was down to 97 runs. When Bradman went out to the crease, he was also sick with the flu. Nevertheless, Don Bradman played the best innings of his life. He and Jack Fingleton both had a record stand of 346. By 365 runs, Australia won this test match. With 810 runs, Bradman had the most for any player in this series. Without a doubt, that was one of the best test innings ever.
2. Brian Lara
Runs – 153*
Against – Australia
Where – Bridgetown
When – 1998-99
Most people agree that Brian Lara’s unbeaten 153 against the Australians in Bridgetown is the best chase in the history of Test cricket. The first three days of the Third Test were all about Australia. When three wickets fell quickly on the fourth night, it looked like the game was lost. On Day 5, West Indies’ position kept getting worse until they were 105 for 5. But Lara stepped in, and the West Indies won by one wicket in the end.
3. Graham Gooch
Runs – 154*
Against – West Indies
Where – Headingley
When – 1991
Graham Gooch played a great knock against some of the best players of all time on a typical Headingley pitch that was hard to play on. In the second innings, he scored more than 60% of England’s runs. During his record-setting innings, he hit 18 fours. Gooch was the first England opener to carry his bat in a Test in 11 years. He helped England beat West Indies at home for the first time since 1969.
4. Ian Botham
Runs – 149*
Against – Australia
Where – Headingley
When – 1981
England was behind by 92 runs with only three wickets left in the second inning. Together with Graham Dilley, Botham came and added 117 runs to the team’s score. He scored against the fastest bowling attack, and England became the first team to win a Test match after following on from 1894–95. He also became famous as one of the best all-rounders in cricket history because of this innings.
5. Don Bradman
Runs – 299*
Against – South Africa
Where – Adelaide
When – 1931-32
Of his 299* runs, only 92 of Sir Donald Bradman’s runs came from the ball going outside the field. In this innings, he was responsible for 58 percent of all of Australia’s runs. This great cricket player played a great inning that deserves to be called one of the best test innings of all time. That was Bradman’s seventh hundred in a row. This great cricket player played a splendid inning that deserves to be called one of the best test innings of all time.
6. V.V.S. Laxman
Runs – 281
Against – Australia
Where – Calcutta
When – 2000-01
Laxman’s 281 runs, a new Test record for India, were made quickly enough for Australia to be bowled out. Their losses in this and the next game made up one of the most remarkable turns of fortune in history. Shane Warne is one of the best spinners of all time, and Laxman was very tough on him. He was also terrific against the fast bowlers. Australia gave up 335 runs without taking any wickets that day.
7. Clem Hill
Runs – 188
Against – England
Where – Melbourne
When – 1897-98
Clem Hill played a great innings when his country needed him to bat like that. Australia fell apart when Tom Richardson bowled with a fast attack, and JT Hearne hit them hard with the ball too. At that point, they had 57 runs and 6 wickets. Clem Hill played what is likely the best innings ever in a Test between Australia and England. He and Hugh Trumble put on 165 runs for the seventh wicket to turn the game around and win back the Ashes.
8. Azhar Mahmood
Runs – 132
Against – South Africa
Where – Durban
When – 1997-98
Pakistan was in a lot of trouble when 22-year-old all-rounder Azhar Mehmood came out. Pakistan was on 89 runs with 5 departures. Then Azhar went to the field and played one of the best test innings ever. In 6 innings against South Africa, he got his third hundred. Azhar got 90 of Pakistan’s last 106 runs, which helped them win the game by 29 runs.
9. Kim Hughes
Runs – 100*
Against – West Indies
Where – Melbourne
When – 1981-82
Kim Hughes is best known for losing the 1981 Ashes series to England and quitting as Australia’s captain in tears during a game against the West Indies. He was one of the best players at bat in his time. Hughes faced what might have been the best fast bowling attacks of all time. Despite looking young and even angelic, he played a brave and smooth hundred on a tough pitch. This helped Australia win a low-scoring game and go up 1-0 in the series.
10. Brian Lara
Runs – 375
Against – England
Where – Antigua
When – 1993-94
Brian Lara hit 375 runs against England, which broke Garry Sobers’ record for most runs in a game (368). Lara, one of the best left-handed batsmen of all time, batted for what felt like two days straight. His great hit came against Angus Fraser and Phil Tufnell, who were part of the bowling attack. Two months later, Lara broke another world record when he scored 501* runs in an innings. This was the most runs ever scored in a First-Class cricket game.
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without Kapil Dev’s 175 against Zimbabwe when India was down 17/5. But this record was never recorded.
So this was our list of the best 10 innings in Test cricket to date. These players and their innings are indeed the greatest of all times. What do you think?