Top 5 highest individual scores in Test history

Test cricket has always been a format where batters’ grit and resilience is tested. A certain level of patience and mental fortitude is required for batters to excel in this particular mode of the game.

There have been countless instances of batters batting time and capitalising on their start to go onto craft monumental innings while eclipsing quite a few milestones along the way.

5) Wiaan Mulder – 367* off 334 vs Zimbabwe (2025) 

Serving as a standby skipper for the full-time captain Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder became the first skipper on Test debut to hit a triple-ton. He scored 264 on the first day of the Test and did not stop at that point.

Coming in at No.3, Mulder batted with a number of batters throughout his innings. In what came as a massive surprise to the cricket community, he declared South Africa’s innings at 626/5 in 114 overs when Lunch was taken on the second day of the game.

4) Mahela Jayawardene – 374 off 572 vs South Africa (2006)

Mahela Jayawardene’s knock came in the second innings after South Africa had been bowled out for 169 in the second session of the first day’s play. The then-skipper combined with Kumar Sangakkara superbly well.

Sri Lanka were struggling with both their openers in the shed by the end of four overs. It was then when Jayawardene joined hands with Sangakkara to forge a monumental 624-run stand for the third wicket. The Lankans ended up winning the game by an innings and 153 runs.

3) Brian Lara – 375 off 538 vs England (1994)

Lara’s 375-run knock against England at St John’s was the same venue at which the record for the highest Test score ever recorded came in 2004. His innings in 1994 meant that the someone had finally managed to go past Garry Sobers’ 365*, which was set in 1958.

This was the final game of the five-match series against England. The match was drawn after England played 206.1 overs for their 593 all-out, the same score at which West Indies had declared their first innings. The hosts played 24 overs in their second innings. 

2) Matthew Hayden – 380 off 437 vs Zimbabwe (2003)  

Out of the thirty three 300-plus scores to be registered in an innings in Tests, Matthew Hayden’s knock vs Zimbabwe comprised the most number of sixes (11). Hayden was dismissed on 380 on the third ball of the 147th over of the innings.

It was at that exact moment after Australia lost their sixth wicket that they declared at 735. Zimbabwe could not score as much as Hayden in either of their innings (239 and 321), with Australia winning by an innings and 175 runs.

1) Brian Lara – 400* off 582 vs England (2004)

It was the fourth Test of the four-match series in which Brian Lara went past Matthew Hayden’s 380 from a few months back to script history by becoming the first batter to get to the 400-run mark.

West Indies had already lost the series. They decided on batting till as long as the legendary southpaw got to 400 before declaring on 751/5 in 202 overs. The match eventually ended in a draw.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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