Cricket is one of the most popular sports all over the world. Being a global sport, people from all over the world watch it. Several teams take part in international cricket tournaments, but like any other sport, there are a few favorites that are believed to win the titles. South Africa is one such country that falls in the favorites category. South Africa is the former world no.1 in test cricket. So in today’s article, we will be discussing the top ten run-getters from South Africa in Test Cricket. So keep on reading.
1. Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis is one of the greatest cricket players to ever grace the 22 yards. In his test career, he had scored a total of 13,206 runs in 278 innings. He played in 165 matches giving him an average of 55.25 runs per match. Jacques Kallis hit 45 centuries and 58 half-centuries before retiring in 2013.
2. Hashim Amla
Hashim Amla was a pillar for the South African Test Cricket team. In just 215 innings, he averaged 46.64 runs per match. He represented South Africa in 124 Test cricket matches and scored 9,282 runs. His highest score of 311 against England made him the only South African batter to score a triple century in Test.
3. Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith is the former captain of the South African Test team. At the time of his retirement in 2014, he had 9,253 runs to his name in just 203 innings. He averaged 48.70 runs per match in 116 matches. Graeme Smith had hit 27 centuries in his test career.
4. AB de Villiers
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, popularly known as AB de Villiers, is a former cricket player who represented South Africa. He played 114 Test matches and scored 8,765 runs. His average is 50.66 in 191 innings. AB de Villiers is nicknamed Mr. 360 for his prowess in hitting the ball in every direction.
5. Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten is a former cricket player as well as a cricket coach. He scored 7,289 runs in 176 innings. His average in Test Cricket is 45.27 in 101 matches. Gary Kirsten has scored 14 centuries in Test Cricket. Apart from a successful professional career, he won the 2011 Cricket World Cup with India as their coach.
6. Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs is remembered for hitting 6 sixes in an over. But little do people know that he is also a brilliant test player. He has 6,167 runs to his name in 154 innings. This gives him an average of 41.95 in 90 matches. Herschelle Gibbs has scored 14 centuries and 26 half-centuries in his test cricket career.
7. Mark Boucher
Mark Boucher is another gem from the golden generation of the South African Test team. He was their wicketkeeper/batter and had 5,498 runs in 204 innings. In 146 matches, he averaged 30.54, the lowest in this list. Mark Boucher had scored only 5 centuries in his Test career.
8. Dean Elgar
Dean Elgar is a former cricket player as well as the former captain of the South African test team. He had scored 5,146 runs in 149 innings making his average at 40.02 in 84 matches. Dean Elgar is the most recent player to retire from the Test. He played his last test on 8th March 2023 against West Indies. His highest in test cricket is just one run shy of 200.
9. Daryll Cullinan
Daryl Cullinan played his last test in 2001 against West Indies. It has been more than two decades since he retired but still, he maintained his top-ten spot with 4,554 runs in 115 innings. His average stood at 44.21 in 70 matches. Daryl Cullinan scored 14 centuries and 20 half-centuries in his test career.
10. Faf du Plessis
The last one on this list of ‘Top Ten South African Players with most runs in Test Cricket’ is Faf du Plessis. Faf du Plessis retired from Test cricket in 2021 with 4,163 runs in 118 innings. He had an average of 40.02 in 69 matches. Faf du Plessis had 10 centuries and 21 half-centuries in his decade-long test career.
