Test cricket is known for its mundane play, where things move in a slow, steady manner. But it’s these steady moments that help teams reach big achievements.
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Test cricket is a battleground for batters, where they have to show endurance and patience. Many batters have put on brilliant batting performances, helping their teams reach mammoth totals.
In the just concluded Multan Test against Pakistan, England showcased a fine example of absolute batting dominance.
On that note, let’s take a look at the top 10 highest scores in Test cricket by teams.
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10. Sri Lanka: 756/5d vs South Africa (2006)
In July 2006, Sri Lanka amassed 756 for 5 before declaring their innings against South Africa. It was the first Test of the 2-match series in Colombo.
After electing to bat first, South Africa were bundled out for 169 runs. And then they faced the wrath of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
The duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene joined forces to stitch a 624-run stand, propelling Sri Lanka’s total to 756 runs. Jayawardene scored 374 runs, while Sangakkara piled on 287, helping Sri Lanka take a 587-run lead. The lead proved enough as Sri Lanka won the match by an innings and 153 runs.
9. Australia: 758/8d vs West Indies (1955)
Back in 1955, Australia piled on 758 runs against the West Indies in Kingston.
Batting first, the hosts scored 357 runs riding on the back of Clyde Walcott’s 155. In response, Australia had a shaky start, but then they dominated the proceedings.
5 of their batters scored centuries, with Neil Harvey leading the charge with his 204-run knock. The dominating batting display helped Australia declare their innings on 758 runs.
Later, they bowled out the West Indies for 319 runs to win the match by an innings and 82 runs.
8. India: 759/7d vs England (2016)
In the fifth Test against England in 2016, India scored their highest team total in Tests. On a rather batter-friendly surface in Chennai, England posted 477 in the first innings.
But India also replied with finesse as opener KL Rahul scored 199, followed by a brilliant triple century from Karun Nair. He became only the second Indian to score a Test triple hundred after Virender Sehwag.
India’s lower order also chipped in crucial contributions, boosting the team’s total to 759 runs. Indian bowlers then wrapped up England for 207 runs to hand a win by an innings and 75 runs.
7. Sri Lanka: 760/7d vs India (2009)
Sri Lanka features again on this list with their might total, this time against India in India. Sri Lanka were touring India for a 3-match series, and in the first Test, they showed their batting prowess.
India mustered 426 in the first innings, with Rahul Dravid (177) and MS Dhoni (110) scoring centuries. But Sri Lanka managed to outscore the hosts with a collective batting effort.
Mahela Jayawardene slammed 275, while Tillakaratne Dilshan and Prasanna Jayawardene scored a century each. This resulted in Sri Lanka scoring 760 runs and eventually ending the match in a draw.
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6. Pakistan: 765/6d vs Sri Lanka (2009)
A few months before their exploits against India, Sri Lanka were hammered by Pakistan in Karachi.
Jayawardene’s 240 and Thilan Samaraweera’s 231 took Sri Lanka to 644 for 7 in the first innings. Pakistani batters didn’t budge due to the huge score and went on to amass 765 runs in their first essay.
Captain Younis Khan led from the front, scoring 313 runs and getting the support of keeper Kamran Akmal, who scored an unbeaten 158 runs. However, the match resulted in a draw.
5. West Indies: 790/3d vs Pakistan (1958)
Kingston witnessed yet another mighty score, this time by the home side against Pakistan in 1958. In the third Test match, Pakistan scored 328 runs before getting all out in the first innings.
In response, the West Indies piled on 790 runs before declaring their innings. Opener Conrad Hunte scored 260, while Garry Sobers scored an unbeaten 365 runs.
That batting display helped the West Indies beat Pakistan by an innings and 174 runs.
4. England: 823/7d vs Pakistan (2024)
In the recently concluded first Test match between Pakistan and England in Multan, England breached the 800-run mark for the third time.
In the first innings, Pakistan accumulated 556 runs, thanks to centuries from Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, and Salman Agha. The visitors also didn’t want to be left out, so they also joined the runfest.
Harry Brook slammed the second-fastest triple century, while Joe Root scored 262. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett also scored fifties, pushing England’s total to 823 for 7.
England declared their innings and dismissed Pakistan on 220 to win the match by an innings and 47 runs.
3. England: 849 vs West Indies (1930)
England mark their presence once more with their mighty batting performance against the West Indies. It was a timeless Test match in Kingston in 1930, which went on for 9 days.
England elected to bat first and continued batting for more than 2 days. They amassed 849 runs, with Andy Sandham scoring 325 and Les Ames scoring 149.
This was England’s first 800-run total in Test cricket. Despite being a timeless Test, the match ended in a draw.
2. England: 903/7d vs Australia (1938)
In 1938, England went a notch ahead and piled on 903 runs against Australia in the Oval Test, which is now the second-highest team score. They became the first team to score 900 runs in an innings in Test cricket.
After deciding to bat first, Leonard Hutton (364), Maurice Leyland (187), and Joe Hardstaff (169*) made a mockery of Australia’s bowling attack.
After conceding 903 runs, the Australian batters didn’t put up any fight, getting bundled out twice for 201 and 123 runs. That resulted in England bagging a massive win by an innings and 579 runs.
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1. Sri Lanka: 952/6d vs India (1997)
Sri Lanka went past England’s tally to establish the record for smashing the highest score by a team in Test cricket. In 1997, Sri Lanka replied to India’s excellent batting in a dominating manner.
India declared their first innings on 537 for 8. In response, Sri Lankan batters didn’t give an inch to the Indian bowlers, amassing a mountain of 952 runs.
Sanath Jayasuriya led the charge with 340 runs, while Roshan Mahanama scored 225 and Aravindra de Silva scored 126. Sri Lanka’s batting ensured there was no third innings in the match, which resulted in a draw.
