Three batsmen with the most double hundreds in Test cricket

Virat Kohli registered his seventh double hundred today.
Virat Kohli registered his seventh double hundred today.

It is often believed that the true master of cricket is the one who plays well in Test matches. The longest format of the game requires a huge amount of dedication and patience which is not every player’s cup of tea. However, there are also players like Virat Kohli who master this difficult art and keep on breaking records day in and day out.

Today, the Indian captain recorded his seventh double century in Test cricket, becoming the first Indian player to achieve this feat. On a having a closer look at Kohli’s career, one comes to know that all the double hundreds of the right-handed batsman have come after 2015. This shows how consistent he has been in red-ball cricket in recent times.

However, Kohli still is behind three batsmen on the list of the batsmen with the most double centuries in Test match cricket. Here’s a look at all three of them -


#3 Brian Lara - 9 double hundreds

Brian Lara played 131 Test matches in his career.
Brian Lara played 131 Test matches in his career.

The West Indian maestro, Brian Lara, who holds the record of the highest score in Test cricket, had slammed nine double centuries during his 16-year long international career. In fact, he had converted his first hundred into a double hundred against Australia in the year 1993.

Lara then played an innings of 375 runs against England in 1994. It took him five years to cross the double century mark once again but from 1999 to 2003, the Caribbean star added four double hundreds to his tally. In the year 2004, he played an unbeaten knock of 400 runs versus England at St. John’s.

His last two 200+ scores came outside the West Indies. Brian had scored 226 against Australia at Adelaide in 2005 and then in 2006, he hit 216 runs versus Pakistan in Multan.

Lara on his way to a double century against Australia.
Lara on his way to a double century against Australia.

Also see – World Test Championship points table

#2 Kumar Sangakkara - 11 double hundreds

Kumar Sangakkara had scored his first double century against Pakistan
Kumar Sangakkara had scored his first double century against Pakistan

The former Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batsman, Kumar Sangakkara, holds the record of scoring the most double hundreds among Asian batsmen. The left-handed batsman, who had represented the island nation in 134 Test matches, hit his first two double centuries outside home.

He slammed his maiden double ton in Test cricket in Lahore and then played a magnificent knock of 270 runs versus Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. Sangakkara soon registered his first 200+ score in Tests at home with a 232 runs inning versus South Africa. Two years later, he hit 287 runs in a home Test against the same opponents.

Playing against Bangladesh in 2007, the former Sri Lankan captain registered two double hundreds in the space of just eight days. His seventh double century came against India in July 2010 while in 2011, Sangakkara recorded his maiden double century in the United Arab Emirates.

The Matale-born icon then decimated the Bangladeshi bowlers to achieve his highest Test score of 319 in February 2014. His penultimate 200+ score came against Pakistan at Galle whereas he hit the last double century of his Test career versus New Zealand in 2015.

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#1 Sir Donald Bradman - 12 double hundreds

Donald Bradman coming out to bat.
Donald Bradman coming out to bat.

The Don holds the record of hitting the most double hundreds in Test cricket with an astounding number of 12 scores of 200 and above in just 52 Test matches. Sir Donald Bradman had a string of double centuries in the 1930-31 season.

He had scored three double hundreds against England in the 1930 Ashes series while in the first Test match of the succeeding series versus West Indies, Bradman played a knock of 223 runs.

The South African team was his next victim as the batting maestro slammed two double hundreds in the home Test series versus the Proteas.

He recorded his seventh and eighth 200+ scores during the fourth and the fifth Tests of Ashes 1934. England proved to be one of Bradman’s favorite opponents as he registered three more double centuries in Tests against them.

The right-handed batsman had recorded his twelfth double hundred versus India in Adelaide during the year 1948. Thus, with 12 double hundreds, the Aussie legend holds the prestigious record of scoring the most double hundreds in Test cricket till date.

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(Note: Both Wally Hammond and Mahela Jayawardene also have seven double centuries in Tests.)

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Edited by S Chowdhury