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The Ashes 2023 is around the corner and both England and Australia have left no stone unturned to create a buzz for the oldest Test series of cricket.
With a comprehensive 209-run win over India in the World Test Championship final, Australia comes into the five-Test series high on confidence.
Meanwhile, England intends to continue its ultra aggressive style of Test cricket developed under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes. The same mantra helped them to win 11 out of 13 Tests in 2022.
Ashes is a benchmark for both teams, and careers can take off to heights with just one splendorous innings or fiery spell. Scoring big runs in this prestigious series gives massive confidence to the batters and it provides a long rope for them in Test cricket.
On that note, let's take a look at the top five highest run-scorers in the Ashes since the term was introduced on August 29, 1882.
#5 Steve Smith
The current Australian Test vice-captain is the only active player from both teams to feature in the top 10 run-getters of Ashes of all-time. Steve Smith's love for batting against England is no secret.
Out of the 8,947 runs scored in 97 Tests at an average of 60.04, Smith has scored 3,044 runs against England, which is 34.02% runs of his Test career. Smith scored more than 500 runs in successive Ashes series - 687 in 2017-18 and 774 in 2019.
In the 2019 series, he was sensational with an average of 110.57. That series defined his mettle to blaze runs despite remaining absent from Test cricket for more than a year. The 34-year-old will aim to break into the top three run-getters by the end of the Ashes 2023.
#4 Steve Waugh
Steve Waugh was a gutsy middle-order batter for Australia who would exasperate the bowlers for his wicket. One of the greatest Australians to play the sport and the third player to cross the landmark of 10,000 Test runs.
The former Australian captain remarkably scored 506 runs at a staggering average of 126.50 in the 1989 Ashes, which Australia won 4-0.
During the 1993 Ashes in England, Waugh made a strong comeback amid struggles to make runs. He ended up with 416 runs at 83.20 with the help of two fifties and a century in the Headingley Test.
Waugh accumulated 3,173 runs against England in 45 Tests played from 1986 to 2003. Of the 32 Test centuries he notched, 10 were against England. He was more dominant against England in England, averaging 74.22 in 22 Tests.
#3 Allan Border
Allan Border loved winning Tests against England more than anything. He captained Australia in a record-breaking 28 Ashes Tests and won 13. That makes him the most successful captain of the Ashes.
Australia won three consecutive Ashes under Allan Border in 1989 (4-0), 1990-91 (3-0) and 1993 (4-1). Border's batting was as sharp against England as his captaincy.
He averaged 56.31 against the Poms in 42 Tests with 3,548 runs with the assistance of 21 fifties and eight centuries. He remained unbeaten on 200 in the Headingley Test of the 1993 Ashes against England.
On August 6, 1985, Border played a valiant knock of 146* to salvage Australia's chances to draw the Oval Test.
#2 Jack Hobbs
The first and only English player in this list. Jack Hobbs made a significant contribution to his red-ball cricket career for Surrey and England.
He finished his incredible career with 61,760 runs in first-class cricket and 199 centuries. Hobbs made 5,410 runs in 61 Tests from 1908 to 1930. 41 of his Tests came in the Ashes.
Hobbs scored 3,636 runs in 71 Test innings against England at 54.26, including 12 centuries. He was profoundly called 'The Master' and scored even after he went past 50 years of age.
#1 Donald Bradman
Talk about records and how can one miss the invincible Sir Donald Bradman, the magician with the bat. Bradman's record of 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes is the most runs scored in a Test series. The record is yet to be broken even after 93 years.
Bradman slammed his career-best 334 during the third Test at the Headingley in Leeds. Australia won that series convincingly by the margin of 3-0.
Bradman hit 19 of his 29 Test centuries against England and averaged 89.78 against them. He is the only player to score more than 5,000 Test runs in the Ashes (5,028) and it's improbable to break that record. The great Don played numerous phenomenal innings against England during his tryst with Test cricket.
