A Test of cricket: Records

The first Test match was played on March 15, 1877, between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

2,254 Test matches have been played till date. England played the maximum – 983. With 799 matches, Australia is on second spot. India played 510 Test matches.

Sri Lanka own the record of maximum runs in one inning. The Lankan team scored 952 runs against India in 1997 in Colombo.

New Zealand hold the record of lowest score in one inning. In a match against England in 1955, New Zealand scored 26 runs in one inning.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has the record of most runs in Test cricket. He has scored 15,921 runs in 200 matches. He also holds the record of most centuries (51) in Test matches.

Another legend Don Bradman holds the unbelievable record of having the best strike rate. He scored with an average of 99.96 in 52 Test matches. Adam Voges of Australia, with distant 61.87, is at second spot, while South African player Graeme Pollock is third with the average of 60.97.

Bradman also holds the record of most runs in a Test series. He took only 7 innings to score 974 runs against England in 1930. He also has the record of most double tons (12).

England hold the record of biggest winning margin. In 1938, the English team defeated Australian team by an inning and 579 runs.

Brian Lara holds the record for the highest score in a Test match. He scored 400 runs in the first innings of a match against England played in Antigua.

Australian player Graham Gooch holds the record of scoring maximum runs in a match. He scored 456 runs against India in 1990.

The record of most wickets in Test history is owned by Muttiah Muralitharan – 800 wickets in 133 matches.

Rahul Dravid in not just a great batsman, he also holds one such record that proves he was one of the best fielders on field. He took 210 catches in 164 matches.

Mark Boucher of South Africa holds the record of maximum stumps (555) as a wicketkeeper.