Throughout the history of test cricket, there have been various instances of the teams putting up massive scores. They were due to multiple reasons, such as, a strong batting unit, flat pitches, in-form batsmen, etc. We will now have a look at the highest team scores in test cricket.
1. Sri Lanka (1997)
India toured Sri Lanka for this series. The track was conducive for batsmen. India batted first, scored 537-8, and declared. The Sri Lankan innings that followed was a supreme run fest. Roshan Mahanama and Sanath Jayasuriya had a partnership of 576 runs. Sri Lanka scored 952 in this innings.
2. England (1938)
England hosted Australia in this test. This was one of the latest few timeless tests. The English opener, Leonard Hutton scored 364 runs in this innings. England batted on for nearly three days. England scored 903 in this innings.
3. England (1930)
England toured West Indies. The game went on for nearly ten days. England batted first, and scored well above 800, due to Andy Sandham’s 325. West Indies also scored at a decent rate during their batting in the end, so the game got drawn. England scored 849 in this innings.
4. West Indies (1958)
West Indies hosted Pakistan for a Test series. This game was the third test of the series. West Indies bowled first and conceded 328. Garry Sobers and Conrad Hunte had a massive partnership. Garry Sobers scored 365 not out, which was the world record for the highest score. West Indies scored 790 in this innings.
5. Pakistan (2009)
This is yet another game with a very flat track. Sri Lanka toured Pakistan for this series. They batted first, scored 644-7, and declared. Pakistan set out to bat, and they put up an even bigger score. They scored above 760, thanks to Younis Khan’s 313. The game eventually ended up as a draw. Pakistan scored 765 in this innings.
6. Sri Lanka (2009)
Sri Lanka toured India for a Test series, and this game was the first. The pitch prepared was an extremely flat one. India scored 426 in their first innings and 412-4 in their second. Between these two innings, Sri Lanka batted and had a massive score too. They scored over 750, thanks to Mahela Jayawardene’s 275, Prasanna Jayawardene’s 154, and a few more knocks. Sri Lanka scored 760 in this innings.
7. India (2016)
India hosted England in this series. India has been a dominating force in tests in home conditions, yet another example of it. India was leading 3-0, before this test. In this game, England batted first and scored a massive total of 477. However, in response to this, India made an even bigger score. The opener KL Rahul scored 199, but a more special knock in this innings was Karun Nair’s 303 not out. He became the second Indian batsman after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century. India went well ahead of England’s total that, they managed to win by an innings and 75 runs, despite conceding 477 in the first innings. India scored 759 in this innings.
8. Australia (1955)
This was the final test in the Australia tour of the West Indies. Australia had already won the series, as they had a 2-0 lead coming into this match. In this game, West Indies batted first, and scored 357. In response to that, the Australian batsmen made merry with their scoring. Although their opener Les Favell and their one-down batsman Arthur Morris, got out for single-digit scores, five batsmen from the Australian team managed to score centuries, with one of them being a double century. Australia eventually won the match by an innings and 82 runs. Australia scored 758 in this innings.
9. Sri Lanka (2006)
South Africa toured Sri Lanka in this series. In this game, South Africa batted first and scored 169. In reply, Sri Lanka had a 624-run partnership for the third wicket, with both Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara crossing their double hundreds, and 250s too. Sri Lanka achieved an innings victory after their onslaught with the bat in this innings. Sri Lanka scored 756 in this innings.
10. West Indies (2004)
This game was the fourth test in the England tour of the West Indies. England had already won the series. In this final game, West Indies batted first and posted above 750. England batted twice, and the game became a draw. This game is more known for Brian Lara’s 400 not out. West Indies scored 751 in this innings.
