List of highest individual scores in Test history ft. Wiaan Mulder

Test cricket is regarded as one of the toughest formats in the game especially for the batters. With the match being played at the same pitch for five consecutive days, the batters have to find a way to get a big knock. However, there are many batters who have mastered the art of scoring big runs in the Test and are regarded among the greatest batters in the format.

There are many players who are known for smashing big hundreds and double hundreds in Test cricket over the years, while some players have also scored more than 300 runs in a single innings of a Test match. In the following listicle, we will have a look at the top 10 batters with the highest individual score in Test cricket.

Here is a list of the top 10 highest individual scores in Test history:

1. Brian Lara: 400* vs England, 2004

Brian Lara smashed the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket and become first batter in history to cross the milestone of 400 runs in an innings of a Test match in a match against England at St John's, Antigua on April 10, 2004. Batting first, Lara scored a record 400* runs off 582 balls smashing 43 fours and four sixes as West Indies posted 751/5 in the first innings. Eventually, the match ended in a draw.

2. Matthew Hayden: 380 vs Zimbabwe, 2003

Matthew Hayden was on the verge of becoming the first batter to get the 400-run mark in a Test innings during a match against Zimbabwe in Perth in October 2003. However, he fell short of the milestone by just 20 runs. The Australian opener scored 380 runs off 437 balls hitting 38 fours and 11 sixes as Australia posted 735/6 and went on to win the match by an innings and 175 runs.

3. Brian Lara: 375 vs England, 1994

Before his record-breaking knock of 400 runs, Brian Lara went on to smash 375 runs in a match against England St. Johns in April 1994. Batting first, West Indies posted 593 runs for the loss five wickets in the first innings with Lara scoring 375 runs off 538 balls hitting 45 boundaries. Eventually, the match ended in a draw.

4. Mahela Jayawardene: 374 vs South Africa, 2006

Mahela Jayawardene played his career-best knock but missed on the milestone of 400 runs in a match against South Africa in Colombo in July, 2006. With a record-breaking partnership of 624 runs with Kumar Sangakkara, Jayawardene ended up scoring 374(572) runs hitting 43 fours and a six as Sri Lanka posted 756/5 and went on to win the match by an innings and 153 runs.

5. Wiaan Mulder: 367* vs Zimbabwe, 2025

South Africa's Wiaan Mulder is the latest edtion in the list of players to amass most runs in an innnings of Test match. During the second Test against Zimbabwe at Queen’s Sports Club in Bulawayo on July 7, 2025, Mulder smashed the second fastest triple hundred as he reached the milestone in just 297 balls. Playing as an stand-in skipper in that game, Mulder had a great opportunity to surpass Brian Lara's 400-run records but he decided to declare the innings on 626/5 in the first innings. Mulder remained unbeaten on 367* runs off 334 balls smashing 49 fours and four sixes in his mammoth knock. 

6. Garry Sobers: 365* vs Pakistan, 1958

West Indies legend Garry Sobers comes fifth in the list of players with highest individual score in Test cricket. During a Test match against Pakistan in Kingston in February-March 1958, Sobers played the best knock of his career scoring an unbeaten 365* runs hitting 38 boundaries as West Indies posted 790/3. The Windies won the match by an innings and 174 runs.

7. Leonard Hutton: 364 vs Australia, 1938

Leonard Hutton played a crucial part as England became first team to cross the 900-run mark in Test cricket during a match against Australia at the Oval in August, 1938. Hutton shone with a knock of 364 runs off 847 balls hitting 35 boundaries as England posted 903/7 and went on to win the match by an innings and 579 runs.

8. Sanath Jayasuriya: 340 vs India, 1997

Sanath Jayasuriya turned out o to be the top scorer as Sri Lanka went on to post the highest-ever Test total in a match against India in Colombo in August, 1997. Registering an iconic partnership of 576 runs with Roshan Mahanama (225) runs, Jayasuriya top scored with 340 runs off 578 balls hitting 36 fours and two sixes as Sri Lanka posted a mammoth 952/6.

9. Hanif Mohammad: 337 vs West Indies, 1958

Hanif Mohammad boast a record for the highest individual score for Pakistan in Test cricket, for his knock in a Test match against West Indies in Bridgetown in January 1958. After Pakistan were forced to follow-on trailing by 473 runs in the first innings, Hanif went on to score 337 runs hitting 24 boundaries as Pakistan posted 657/8 in the second innings. However, the match ended in a draw.

10. Wally Hammond: 336* vs New Zealand, 1933

Playing for England, Wally Hammond set the highest individual score in Test cricket at that time in a match against New Zealand in Auckland in March-April, 1933. In reply to New Zealand’s 158 runs in the first innings, England posted 548/7 taking a lead of 390 runs. For England, Hammond played a knock of 336* hitting 34 fours and 10 sixes. The match eventually ended in a draw.

List of Highest individual scores in Test history

FAQs

Q. What is the highest individual score in a Test innings?

A. Brian Lara boasts a records for amassing the highest individual score in a Test innings. The West Indies cricketer smashed a record-breaking 400*(582) in a match against England in Antigua in April 2004

Q. How many players have scored 400 runs in a Test match?

A. Till now, only Brian Lara from West Indies has been able to achieve the milestone of 400 in an innings of a Test match. He scored 400*(582) runs in a Test match against England in Antigua in April 2004. 

Q. How many balls did Brian Lara take to score 400 runs?

A. Brian Lara reached the milestone of 400 runs after facing 582 balls in a match against England in Antigua in April 2004.