A winning streak is challenging to maintain in any format of cricket, but mainly in test cricket. It is primarily because, the game can get drawn, even if a team is in a dominant position. We will now have a look at the longest streaks of test match wins for a team.
1. Australia (1999-2001)
Australia was in a red-hot form at this time. They defeated New Zealand away, India, and Pakistan, at home, all of them being, 3-0 in a three-match series. They thrashed West Indies 5-0 in a home series. Australia also toured India, and won the first game there, after which, their streak got broken in the famous Kolkata test. Australia had a winning streak of 16 games, from October 1999 to February 2001.
2. Australia (2005-2008)
The Australian team was at the peak of its prowess. They had a fine run of wins in tests, defeating opponents, home and away. They defeated various opponents, with the most significant aspects of the series being, them whitewashing South Africa 3-0 away, and winning all five matches, in an Ashes series, at home. Australia had a winning streak of 16 games, from December 2005 to January 2008.
3. West Indies (1984)
West Indies was a dominant team, across all formats, in the early 1980s. They had a brilliant win streak, in test matches, when they won the final three games against Australia, in a home series, and the first three games against them, away. Between, those series, they toured England, and whitewashed them 5-0, at their den. West Indies had a winning streak of 11 games, from March 1984 to December 1984.
4. Sri Lanka (2001-2002)
Sri Lanka had a strong team during the 2000s, and this winning streak, resulted from that strength. All the games in this winning streak, except one in Lahore, against Pakistan, were at home, for Sri Lanka. Their streak started with a victory against India, the series decider. It also spanned the Asian test championship, in which Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka whitewashed West Indies, and Zimbabwe in a three-match series, each. Sri Lanka had a winning streak of nine games, from August 2001 to March 2002.
5. South Africa (2002-2003)
South Africa had a great run in the home season and a few away matches. They had played four series of two games each, against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and twice against Bangladesh. South Africa won all the games. South Africa had a winning streak of nine games, from March 2002 to May 2003.
6. Australia (1920-1921)
This winning streak for Australia in tests was in 1920-1921, when they whitewashed England in the five-match Ashes series in 1920-21, at home, and then again won the first three matches in the 1921 Ashes, in England. Australia had a winning streak of eight games, from December 1920 to July 1921.
7. England (2004)
England had a good home season. They hosted New Zealand for a three-match series, West Indies for a four-match series, and won all the matches. These, including a victory in the first match in an away series, against South Africa, meant England had a healthy winning streak. England had a winning streak of eight games, from May 2004 to December 2004.
8. Australia (2002)
This winning streak for Australia in tests was in 2002, when they whitewashed Pakistan in a three-match series, and then won the first four matches in the Ashes later that year. Australia had a winning streak of seven games, from October 2002 to December 2002.
9. Australia (2009-2010)
Australian team faced West Indies, Pakistan, and New Zealand in the 2009-10 period. The winning streak of Australia contained a 3-0 series win against Pakistan, and a 2-0 series win against New Zealand, in New Zealand. Australia had a winning streak of seven games, from December 2009 to July 2010.
10. India (2019)
India has been a strong test team in recent times. This winning streak has been an indicator of it. The first three series for the Indian team, in the 2019-21 World Test Championship, had India facing West Indies away, South Africa, and Bangladesh at home. India won all the matches of all these series. India had a winning streak of seven games, from August 2019 to November 2019.