With the advent of T20 Cricket, every cricket viewer has almost forgotten test cricket. But test cricket is the most exciting format of cricket as there is equal competition between bat and ball in test cricket. In test cricket, all innings are essential for any team. But there are some test matches where teams have scored the highest runs in 2nd innings of a game. So, let's look at the highest second innings score in test cricket.
1. Sri Lanka (952)
In 1997, India toured Sri Lanka, and in the 1st test match at Colombo, Sri Lanka scored the highest second-inning score ever in test cricket. In the game, India won the toss and decided to bat first. Three batsmen scored centuries from India, and India scored 537 runs in 1st innings. In the 2nd innings, Sanath Jayasuriya became the nightmare of all Indian bowlers, scoring 340 off 578 balls. Apart from him, Roshan Mahanama scored 225, and Arjuna Ranatunga scored 126. At the end of 2nd innings, Sri Lanka was at the score of 952 runs. This Sri Lanka's innings was so long that the match got drawn.
2. West Indies (790)
It was the 3rd test of Pakistan's tour of the West Indies in 1958, where Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first. By batting first, Imtiaz Ahmed scored a brilliant century, and Pakistan scored 328 runs in 1st innings. In the second innings, West Indie's opener, Conard Hunte, scored 260 runs. After him, Gary Sober played an unbelievable innings of 365 runs. As a result, in the second innings, West Indies scored 790 runs. In the 3rd innings, Pakistan got all out at 288 runs, and West Indies won the match by innings and 174 runs.
3. Pakistan (765)
In the 1st test at Karachi, the pitch was flat, and Pakistani batters benefited from that flat pitch. In the match, Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first. In the 1st innings, Mahela Jayawardene exceptionally scored 240 whereas Thilan Samaraweera scored 231 runs, which helped Sri Lanka to score 644 runs in 1st innings. In the 2nd innings, Pakistan came to bat, and Younis Khan played an unbelievable innings of 313 runs, the third-highest test score for any Pakistani batsman. As a result, at the end of 2nd innings, Pakistan scored 765 runs, and the match was drawn.
4. Sri Lanka (760)
In 2009, Sri toured India for a three-match test series. In the 1st test at Ahmedabad, India won the election to bat first. From India, Rahul Dravid magnificently scored 177 off 261 balls. After him, MS Dhoni also scored a century, and India scored 426 runs in 1st innings. In 2nd innings, Dilshan scored 122 runs, Jayawardene scored 275 runs, and Prasanna Jayawardene scored 154 runs. At the end of 2nd innings, Sri Lanka scored 760 runs. In the 3rd innings, India scored 412 runs, and ultimately, the match did not go to any side and got drawn.
5. India (759)
In 2016, England toured India in a test series of five matches. In the 5th test match, India scored their highest innings score in test cricket. In the game, England won the toss and chose to bat first. In the 1st innings, England scored 477 and got all out. In 2nd inning, KL Rahul scored 199 runs, and after him, Karun Nair exceptionally scored a triple-century and became the second Indian to achieve this milestone. By his brilliant inning of 303 runs, India scored 759 runs in 2nd innings. In 3rd inning, Indian bowlers showed their skills, and England got all out at 207 runs. As a result, India won the match by an innings and 75 runs.
6. Australia (758)
It was the 5th test match in 1955 when Australia toured the West Indies. West Indies won the toss in the game and chose to bat first. By Clyde Walcott's 155 runs, West Indies scored 357 in 1st innings. In 2nd innings, Australia outplayed West Indies. In 2nd innings, Former Australian batsman Neil Harvey scored 204 runs. Apart from him, the other three Australian batsmen also scored a century. As a result, Australia scored 758 runs in 2nd innings. In the 3rd innings, West Indies could not score a big score and got all out. As a result, Australia won the match by an innings and 82 runs.
7. Sri Lanka (756)
There was a time when Sri Lanka used to have great batsmen like Sangakkara, Jayawardene, and Dilshan. Because of all these great batsmen, Sri Lanka could score such big scores in test cricket, and the same they did against South Africa in 2006. South Africa batted first in the 1st test match at Colombo and could score only 169 runs. In 2nd innings, Sri Lanka dominated South Africa. Kumar Sangakkara scored 287 from Sri Lanka, and Jayawardene scored 374 runs, which took Sri Lanka to 756. In 3rd innings, Sri Lanka got South Africa all out and won the match by an innings and 153 runs.
8. West Indies (749)
In 2009, England toured the West Indies. It was the 4th test match played at Bridgetown, where England won the toss and elected to bat first. In 1st innings, England played brilliantly and scored 600 runs. After which West Indies came to bat. Ramnaresh Sarwan scored 291 from the West Indies, and Dinesh Ramdin scored 166 runs, eventually leading the West Indies to 749 runs. But the big total scored by West Indies did not benefit them as the match got drawn.
9. West Indies (747)
It was the 4th test match of South Africa's tour of the West Indies in 2005. South Africa won the toss in the game and decided to bat first. De Villiers, Kallis, and Ashwell Prince scored a century from South Africa, which took South Africa to a score of 588 in 1st innings. In 2nd inning, Chris Gayle ruthlessly smashed every South African bowler and scored 317 runs. As a result, West Indies set a massive score of 747 runs in 2nd innings. But Chris Gayle's triple century failed as the match was drawn.
10. Sri Lanka (730)
In 2014, Sri Lanka toured Bangladesh for a test series of two matches. In the 1st test at Mirpur, Sri won the toss and decided to bowl first. The pitch was flat, but Bangladesh's team needed a better start and started losing wickets at quick intervals. As a result, Bangladesh could only score 232 runs in 1st innings. In 2nd inning, Sri Lankan batters took advantage of the flat pitch where Jayawardene batted very well and scored 203 runs. In the 2nd inning, Sri Lanka scored 730 runs, and in the 3rd inning, they quickly got Bangladesh all out and won the match by an innings and 248 runs.
