Test cricket is a cricket format that requires endurance and patience. More than scoring runs, a batter has to protect his wicket and stay on the pitch for a long time. But the world has seen many cricketers who not only play long but also score high. Their contribution to the team's total is enormous. Still, many times, their efforts have yet to yield results. The team might still lose a match even if some of its players have scored one of the highest scores of the match. Let's look at some players who, despite their huge scores, couldn't lead their team to victory.
1. Brian Lara
Brian Charles Lara is a former Trinidadian cricketer and is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. He has 34 test centuries with two triple centuries, two 350+ scores, and nine double centuries. He holds the record for scoring the most runs in a test innings on a losing side. He scored 351 runs (221 in the first inning and 130 in the second) against Sri Lanka-highest, but Sri Lanka won the match with ten wickets.
2. A Flower
Andy Flower is a former cricketer and captain of Zimbabwe. He was a wicketkeeper-batsman and one of the most successful players in Zimbabwe. He played 63 tests with 12 centuries and 27 half-centuries, with the highest score of 232 not out. He scored 341 runs (142 and 199 not out) against South Africa in 2001. South Africa won the test by nine wickets making his score the second-highest individual score on a losing side.
3. H Sutcliffe
Herbert Sutcliffe was a former professional cricketer of England who played 754 first-class cricket matches and 54 tests. His career was mainly spanned during the world wars. He also served in the military during the second world war. He played against Australia in 1924, scoring 176 in the first and 127 in the second innings, respectively, and was the only player to score a century in both innings. England went on to lose the match by 83 runs, where the team was all out in 290 runs, including 127 by Sutcliffe. It is the third-highest score on the losing side.
4. CL Walcott
Sir Clyde Walcott is a former cricketer from Barbados who played for West Indies between 1948 and 1960. He played 44 tests and scored 3,798 runs, including 15 centuries and 14 half-centuries. During the test series against Australia in 1955, he became the first Cricketer to score five centuries in a single test series and set the record for highest aggregate of runs (827) in a test series. During the fifth match of the series, he also became the fourth batter to hit the most runs but still lost the match. He scored 255 runs (155 and 110) but lost to Australia by an inning and 83 runs.
5. VS Hazare
Vijay Samuel Hazare is a former Indian cricketer. He was the team captain who paved the way for India's first test win in 1951-52 against England. He is the first Indian Cricketer to score two triple centuries. The Vijay Hazare trophy is a zonal cricket tournament named in his honor. In the 4th test against Australia in the 1947-48 series, Hazare hit centuries in both innings. He scored a total of 261 runs, but India lost the match. The second inning witnessed 145 runs by Hazare and six other players getting dismissed for a duck. It is one of the high scores on the losing side.
6. HH Gibbs
Herschelle Herman Gibbs is a former batsman from South Africa. He played 90 tests; his highest score was 228, which came against Pakistan in 2003. He is also the first player to hit all six in an over in ODI cricket. South Africa lost the match against England in 2005 even after Gibbs scored the highest number of runs-259 (161 in the first inning and 98 in the second). He is ranked sixth on the list of cricketers with the highest aggregate score on a losing side.
7. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is an Indian cricketer and was India's most successful national cricket team captain. He was named the Cricketer of the Decade in 2020. He played 109 tests and scored 8,479 runs with 28 centuries and seven double centuries. Virat scored 256 runs in the 1st test against Australia in 2014, the highest score of the match. But Australia won the test by 48 runs owing to the incredible performance by David Warner and Steve Smith, scoring 247 and 214 runs, respectively.
8. MH Mankad
MH Vinoo Mankad is a former Indian cricketer who captained the national team. He was one of the best all-rounders of India, playing 44 tests scoring five centuries and a top score of 231, and taking 162 wickets. He scored 256 runs against England in 1952 with an incredible 184 in the second inning and a 5-wicket haul. But India failed to win the match as England won by eight wickets with impressive hits by Leonard Hutten and Godfrey Evans, along with fantastic bowling by Fred Trueman.
9. DJ Mitchell
Daryl Joseph Mitchell is a cricketer from New Zealand. His international career began in 2019, and he played 18 tests to date and scored five centuries and eight half-centuries, with the highest score of 190. He played a test against England in June 2022 and scored 252 runs, thus making it the 10th-highest score on a losing side. England defeated New Zealand by five wickets.
10. KC Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara is a former cricketer and Sri Lankan national cricket team captain. He is one of the most incredible batters in world cricket history and holds many test records for the fastest runs scored. With 37 centuries, he has the highest number of centuries in tests batting at No. 3. Even after Sangakkara scored 249 runs against Australia in 2007, Sri Lanka couldn't win.
