ENG vs IND 2025: Top 5 batters with most runs in a Test match ft. Shubman Gill

Team India's Test captain Shubman Gill has been in terrific form with the willow in the ongoing five-match series in England. A few eyebrows were raised when the 25-year-old batter was picked as India's new leader for red-ball cricket following the retirement of Rohit Sharma. The apprehensions were understandable for Gill was averaging in the mid-30s in Test cricket ahead of the England tour.

The right-handed batter still has a long way to go when it comes to understanding leadership tactics while captaining the team in the field. As a batter, though, he must be given full marks for leading the team from the front. Gill scored a sublime 147 in his first innings as Test captain in Leeds. Even though India went on to lose the Test, the batter had made his mark with the willow.

The Punjab-born cricketer has carried on his excellent form, smashing a double hundred and a century in the ongoing Test against England at Egbaston in Birmingham. Gill broke a number of records with his superb batting efforts. He now also features among the top five batters with most runs in a Test match. This is how the illustrious list looks like.

---

#5 Brian Lara (400)

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara is at No. 5 on the list of batters with most runs in a Test match. The former left-handed batter scored exactly 400* off 582 balls against England in Antigua in April 2004 to reclaim the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket.

Lara broke Garry Sobers' long-standing record of 365* when he scored 375 against England in Antigua in April 1994. Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden broke the record in October 2003 when he hammered 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth.

Hayden's record, however, stood for less than a year as Lara reclaimed it at the same venue where he had earlier broken the world record, and against the same opponent. Lara's 400* came off 582 balls and featured 43 fours and four sixes. West Indies did not bat a second time in the Test in Antigua. England were made to follow on, but managed to draw the match.

---

#4 Kumar Sangakkara (424)

Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara features in fourth position on the famed list. The elegant left-handed batter had a match aggregate of 424 in Chattogram in the second Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh in February 2014.

Sri Lanka elected to bat first after winning the toss and posted a mammoth total of 587. Sangakkara top-scored with 319 off 482 balls, an innings which featured 32 fours and eight sixes.

In the second innings, he contributed 105 off 144 balls, with the aid of 11 fours and two sixes. Despite Sangakkara's heroics, Bangladesh battled hard and managed to draw the Test.

---

#3 Mark Taylor (426)

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor features in the top three among batters with most runs in a Test match. The southpaw totaled 426 runs in Peshawar in October 1998 in the second Test of the three-match series.

After winning the toss and batting first, Australia posted 599-4 before declaring their innings. Taylor scored an unbeaten 334 off 564 balls, hitting 32 fours and one six. He famously declared the innings because he did not want to go past Aussie legend Don Bradman's highest Test score of 334.

In the second innings of the Peshawar Test, Taylor scored 92 off 159 balls. He was looking good for his second hundred of the match, but was bowled by part-time spinner Aamer Sohail. This Test also ended in a high-scoring draw.

---

#2 Shubman Gill (430)

Team India's new captain Gill makes a blockbuster entry at number two on the list of batters with most runs in a Test match. He has 430 runs to his name across two innings of the ongoing Test match against England in Birmingham.

The elegant batter registered a career-best score of 269 in the first innings after England won the toss and invited India to bat at Edgbaston. Gill occupied the crease for over 500 minutes, hitting 30 fours and three sixes in his 387-ball knock.

India posted 587 in their first innings and the restricted England to 407. In their second innings, the visitors scored 427-6 before declaring. Gill once again top-scored with 161 off 162 balls, hammering 13 fours and eight sixes.

---

#1 Graham Gooch (456)

Former England captain Graham Gooch holds the illustrious record for scoring most runs in a Test match. The ex-opener managed a match aggregate of 456 runs against India at Lord's in July 1990 in the first Test of the three-match series.

Leading from the front, Gooch scored 333 off 485 balls in the first innings after India won the toss and invited England to bat. The opener held fort for 628 minutes, hitting 43 fours and three sixes before being bowled by Manoj Prabhakar.

England declared on 653-4 and then held India to 454 despite hundreds from Mohammad Azharuddin (121) and Ravi Shastri (100). In the second innings, Gooch hammered 123 off just 113 balls as England declared on 272-4. Chasing a target of 472, India crumbled to 224 all out, losing the Test by 247 runs.