Cricket is a stat-driven sport where comparisons are mostly made based on numbers and records. That’s what we will talk about here. Test cricket is the oldest and toughest format of the three formats in cricket.
This format demands a variety of skills and patience for the players to succeed. Some players have shown an incredible amount of consistency and reached big milestones in a quick time at the start of their careers.
Test cricket has seen many incredibly talented batters in its history of over 140 years, but only six of them have reached the landmark of 1000 runs in fewer than 10 test matches. This article is about this elite list.
Herbert Sutcliffe was one of the finest batters of the pre-second World War era. The Englishman made his debut in June 1924 against South Africa and had a great start to his career.
He took only nine matches (12 innings) to reach 1000 runs in test cricket. Sutcliffe played 54 tests for England and scored 4555 runs at an average of 60.73 with 16 centuries and 23 half-centuries.
West Indies’ George Headley was a run machine for his teams at international and domestic levels. On his debut against England in January 1930, he scored 176.
Headley took nine test matches to reach 1000 test runs. Overall, he played 22 tests between 1930 and 1954 and scored 2190 runs at an average of 60.83, with ten centuries and five half-centuries.
West Indies’ Everton Weekes, who played from 1948 to 1958, was one of the most prolific batters of his generation and he achieved several records in test cricket. Everton is one of the only two batters to score five consecutive centuries in test cricket.
He reached 1000 test runs in his ninth test (12 innings). Overall, he played 48 tests and scored 4455 runs at an average of 58.61, with 15 centuries and 19 half-centuries.
India’s young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has gotten off to a dream start in his test career. Among Indians, he is the fastest to score 1000 runs in test cricket in terms of matches. He completed 1000 test runs in his ninth test.
From starting with a debut ton against West Indies to hitting two double centuries in a home series against England, Jaiswal has been phenomenal in his brief test career so far.
Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis has entered the record books after an incredible start to his test career. In just his eighth test, he has bagged some big records in this format.
He completed 1000 runs in test cricket in his eighth game and 13th innings. Kamindu also became the fastest Asian batter to reach five test centuries, which he achieved in just 13 innings.
He is the second fastest to score 1000 runs in the history of test cricket, in terms of matches.
Hailed as the greatest batsman of all time by many, Don Bradman’s average of 99.94 across more than 50 test matches remains untouchable. He also holds the record for the most test double centuries and hundreds in consecutive games.
There is no surprise that he is sitting at the top of this elite list. Bradman is the fastest to score 1000 runs in test cricket, a feat he achieved in only his seventh test match.
He retired with 52 tests under his belt, in which he scored 6996 runs at an average of 99.94, with 29 centuries and 13 half-centuries.
(All stats updated till 27 September, 2024.)
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