Top 10 most destructive batsmen in Test cricket's history

Since its inception, the game of cricket has undergone many changes. Test cricket for a long time was played in the conventional manner following all the coaching manuals. Playing straight was the usual norm and horizontal bat shots weren’t given much admiration.

With the onset of ODI cricket which was more bustling and fast-paced, the longer format also underwent a sea change. Batsman brought in an attacking dimension to their stroke play. Sessions were just not played out but contested with an intent to win. Boring draws were no longer the status quo and teams pushed the limits to force a result. Batting averages alone weren’t a yardstick to measure a batsman's success. Strike rate was also looked upon in gauging the effectiveness of a batsman. Down the years, we had some explosive batsman in ODIs, but there have been some belligerent stroke-players who won many hearts with their aggressive style of batting in white ball cricket.

It would be interesting to compile a list of the top 10 most destructive batsman in Test cricket.

For selecting my top 10, I have considered consistency at run scoring, longevity in career and strike rate as my parameters.

I have taken only those batsman who have played at least 50 Tests for their country and scored over 5000 runs.

Before we rank our top 10 Test batsman based on their ability to score runs quickly on a consistent basis, a look at some of the premier batsmen who went about their run scoring in a free-flowing manner in Test cricket

India - Kapil Dev (80.91), MS Dhoni (59.11), Shikhar Dhawan (68) , Virat Kohli (58.26)

England - Ian Botham (60.71), Andrew Flintoff (62.04), Ben Stokes (61.04), Matt Prior (61.66)

Australia - David Warner (74.5), Don Bradman (58.6)

South Africa - Quinton De Cock (70.3), Graeme Smith (59.67)

Pakistan - Sarfaraz Ahmed (71.87), Kamran Akmal (63.1)

New Zealand - Ross Taylor (59.35)

Sri Lanka - Tillakaratne Dilshan (65.54)

West Indies - Clive Lloyd (57.77)

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#10 Chris Gayle

The self-proclaimed 'Universal Boss' of T20 cricket has also been a destructive batsman in Test cricket. The West Indian powerhouse has played some absolute blinders in the longer format. Neither conventional nor very pleasing to the eye, Gayle had a technique of his own to plunder bowling attacks.

Being in and out of the Windies Test side, Gayle boasts of a pretty impressive Test record with over 7000 Test runs at a 40 plus average. With two triple tons to his name, Gayle joined a select band of greats like Don Bradman, Brian Lara, and Virender Sehwag to have accomplished the feat.

Test Record

Matches: 103 | Runs: 7214 | Avg: 42.18 | SR: 60.26

#9 Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum

Unconventional yet effective, Brendon McCullum used his quick hands and nimble footwork to tonk bowlers in Test cricket. McCullum wasn’t afraid of coming down the wickets and heaving the bowlers over the boundary. On his day, McCullum could turn around the momentum of a session with his quick-fire knocks.

The destructive stroke-maker could bat anywhere in the middle order and provided Kiwis with the injection in their innings. McCullum was at his destructive best when he registered the fastest ever Test ton, scoring a 54 ball century against Australia at Christchurch. 'Baz' scored a blistering 302 against India to register the first triple century by a New Zealander in Test cricket.

Test Record

Matches: 94 | Runs: 6008 | Avg: 38.76 | SR: 63.06

#8 Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka's powerhouse Sanath Jayasuriya could plunder bowling attacks at will in the longer format of the game. Blessed with superb hand-eye coordination, the attacking Lankan opener thrived on batting friendly sub-continent conditions where the ball dint seam around much.

A fierce puller and cutter, Jayasuriya used his iron-like forearms to unleash some destructive shots with the willow. The Matara Mauler’ showed his hitting prowess when he scored a mammoth 340 against India at Colombo.

Test Record

Matches: 110 | Runs: 6973 | Avg: 40.07 | SR: 65.27

#7 Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting cemented his place as one of the most aggressive middle-order batsmen in Test cricket. A prolific run-getter for the Australians, Ponting had all the shots in his armory to unnerve the opposition. Ponting was an exceptional player against fast bowlers and the best puller of his generation.

Once he got his eye in, 'Punter' capitalized on his starts and scored some mammoth tons for the Aussies. He was among leading run scorers in Test cricket for almost a decade and brought up tons of runs at a brisk pace.

Test Record

Matches: 168 | Runs: 13378 | Avg: 51.85 | SR: 58.72

#6 Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden

The big and burly Matthew Hayden had the ability to torment the best of attacks with utter disdain. ‘Haydos’ stood like a giant outside the crease and used his chip and charge technique to flay the bowlers to all parks of the ground. Hayden was a free-flowing stroke-maker with a penchant to score big hundreds.

The prolific run-getter formed a formidable opening duo with Justin Langer to provide Australians the impetus up the order. Hayden was a good player of spin and one of the finest exponents of the sweep shot.

Hayden smashed a herculean 380 against Zimbabweans at Perth, which stands as the second highest Test score to date.

Test Record

Matches: 103 | Runs: 8625 | Avg: 50.73 | SR: 60.10

#5 Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen gave England's Test cricket a new lease of life. Pietersen brought in the much-required spark to English cricket whose batsmen were known to play the game in an orthodox manner exhibiting their classical techniques and copybook stroke-making.

'KP' flirted with danger and established himself as the run accelerator in the middle order with his belligerent batting. He became England’s impact player by stepping on the gas to win the Test matches. The Ashes saw KP tonking the Aussies attack with utter disdain. Pietersen's outspoken persona didn't go down very well with the management but he had done enough to lay stake as arguably England’s most explosive batsman in the longer format.

Test Record

Matches: 104 | Runs: 8181 | Avg: 47.28 | SR: 61.71

#4 Brian Lara

Brian Lara

West Indies batting genius Brian Lara was one of the most dangerous batsmen in Test cricket. The flashy stroke-maker packed a punch with his enthralling and eye-catching stroke play. A magician with his wrists, Lara had an appetite for big hundreds and made the most when he got his eye. Pace or spin, the West Indian tore apart attacks with his classy shot making. He looked at his majestic best when he drove seamers through the covers or played the late cut against spinners.

The West Indian great holds the record for the highest Test and first-class score. A career batting average of over 50 combined with a strike rate of 60 plus shows how commanding the enigmatic genius was at the peaks of his prowess.

Test Record

Matches: 131 | Runs: 11953 | Avg: 52.88 | SR: 60.51

#3 Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist was arguably the most destructive wicket keeper batsman to play Test cricket. Gilchrist revolutionized the role of wicket-keeper in the longer format of the game. Coming to bat lower down the order, Adam could turn the fortunes of a game with his belligerent hitting. Pull or cut, Gilchrist could decimate bowling attacks in a blink of an eye. The hard-hitting keeper batsman added an extra dimension to Australia’s potent batting lineup by scoring boundaries at will and put the Kangaroos in commanding positions.

A whirlwind 57 ball ton against England at Perth was a glimpse of his batting prowess. For the records, he was the first batsman to register a century of sixes in Test cricket. Over 5500 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 80 ranks him among the most attacking batsmen in Test cricket.

Test Record

Matches: 96 | Runs: 5570 | Avg: 47.6 | SR: 81.95

#2 Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag would go down as the most destructive opener in Test cricket. Sehwag redefined the way openers approached the new ball. ‘Viru’ played his cricket with the simple mantra, Attack is the best form of defense. Sehwag put the opposition on the back foot with his explosive stroke play. Sehwag didn't move his feet too much but relied on his superlative hand-eye coordination to unleash carnage against quality bowling attacks.

The dashing Indian opener had a penchant to score big hundreds and won many a game for India both at home and away with his bludgeoning stroke play. Sehwag had two triple Test tons to his name, a feat only accomplished by the legendary Don Bradman, Brian Lara, and Chris Gayle.

Test Career

Matches: 104 | Runs: 8585 | Avg: 49.34 | SR: 82.23

Sir Vivian Richards

Sir Vivian Richards

In an era where batsman believed in showing dodged defense and seeing off bowling attacks, Vivian Richards took on bowlers with his mesmerizing stroke play. The West Indian batting genius was certainly ahead of his time as he went about his batting with a bit of a swagger. Richards had an imposing persona and his mere presence at the crease send shivers down the spine of opposition bowlers.

The stocky built West Indian etched a name for himself by making best of bowling attacks look ordinary. A 56 ball ton against England at St John's was an exhibition of his ball hitting prowess. All through the late 70s and 80s, Richards became the batting lynchpin of the mighty Windies team.

His strike rate of over 70 during the 80s was something batsmen dreamt off. Vivian Richards had certainly pioneered the art of aggressive batting which was emulated by many others in Test cricket.

Test Record

Matches: 121 | Runs: 8540 | Avg: 50.23 | SR: 70.19