Presenting batters with 12,000-plus runs in Test cricket
Former England captain Joe Root has become the latest batter to complete 12,000 runs in Test cricket. He accomplished the milestone on Day 2 of the 3rd Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Root became the second Englishman and seventh overall to touch the 12,000-run mark in the format. Here we look at all the batters in the 12,000-run club (Tests).
Sachin Tendulkar- 15,921 runs
Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar made and shattered a plethora of records in Test cricket. He is the leading run-scorer in the format, having racked up 15,921 runs from 200 Test matches at an incredible average of 53.78. The 51-year-old also holds the record of scoring the most number of Test tons (51). His tally also includes six double-tons and 68 half-centuries.
Ricky Ponting - 13,378 runs
Ricky Ponting still remains the highest run-scorer from Australia in Test cricket. The former Aussie skipper owns 13,378 runs from 168 Tests, including 41 hundreds. He also racked up 62 fifties in his celebrated career as his tally also includes six double-hundreds. Notably, he has won the second-most number of Tests as captain (48 in 77 matches).
Jacques Kallis - 13,289 runs
One of the greatest all-rounders, Jacques Kallis also features on this list. Kallis is the only player with the double of 10,000 runs and 200 wickets in Test cricket. He tallied 13,289 runs from 166 Tests at an incredible average of 55.37 (100s: 45, 50s: 58, 200s: 2). The medium pacer claimed as many as 292 wickets in the format.
Rahul Dravid - 13,288 runs
Rahul Dravid is the fourth-highest run-getter in the Test arena. He is the only Indian batter besides Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar to have touched the 10,000-run mark (Test cricket). In a career spanning over 15 years, the 51-year-old amassed 13,288 runs from 164 Tests at an average of 52.31. He also owns 36 Test tons, 63 fifties, and five double-centuries.
Alastair Cook - 12,472 runs
Alastair Cook is arguably the greatest batter to have played Tests for England. He continues to be their leading run-scorer in Test cricket. Having amassed 12,472 runs at 45.35, Cook is the fifth-highest run-scorer in the format. The southpaw also has 33 Test centuries to his name, out of which five were converted into double-tons. His tally also includes 57 fifties.
Kumar Sangakkara - 12,400 runs
Kumar Sangakkara is the sixth-highest run-scorer and highest from Sri Lanka in Test cricket. He aggregated 12,400 runs from 134 Tests at an astronomical average of 57.40. Sangakkara owns the fourth-most hundreds (38) in the format. The legendary southpaw also hammered 52 fifties in SL whites. As per ESPNcricinfo, Sangakkara also slammed 11 double-tons, second-most in Tests after Don Bradman (12).
Joe Root joins list of elites
Root, who scored 87, became the second-fastest batter to complete 12,000 runs in Test cricket, having taken 143 matches and 261 innings for the same. He currently owns 12,027 runs at 50.11. In addition to 32 tons, he owns 63 fifties. As mentioned, Root became the second Englishman after Cook to attain this milestone. Root surpassed Brian Lara (11,953) in terms of Test runs.
