Top 5 differences of average between first and second innings in Tests

Test cricket is a very interesting art. This is where the temperament of a batsman and the fitness of a bowler is truly tested. In many ways, Test cricket determines the versatility of a cricketer.

Over the years, many batsmen have played and excelled in the longest format of the sport. A number of great batsmen have produced several remarkable performances over the years. Some have come in the first innings and some in the second innings.

There have been a number of batsmen who have performed consistently in both innings and have maintained nearly the same average in both. However, there are many batsmen who have not been equally consistent and have different averages.

Let’s take a look at the highest difference of averages between both innings in Test Cricket.

Note: Only considered for this list are batsmen who have played at least 50 innings.

#5. Brian Lara- 25.76

West Indies legend Brian Lara is one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the game but there is a humongous difference in his first innings and second innings performances.

Lara has scored nearly 70% of his Test runs in the first innings. Lara has 8249 runs from 130 innings at an impressive average of 63.94. In the second innings, he averages only 38.18. He has scored 3704 runs in 104 innings. Lara has scored 33 of his 48 Test fifties and 25 of his 34 Test hundreds while batting in the first innings.

The most notable point here is the fact that the tall player has scored all his 200+ scores while batting in the first innings, including his 375 and 400 against England in 1994 and 2004 respectively.

However, Lara has played some brilliant knocks while batting in the second innings even though his best performance is 153.

#4. Mahela Jayawardene- 26.49

Jayawardene has an average difference of 26.49 between both innings

One of the greatest batsmen in Sri Lanka - and the world, former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene also has a huge difference in his first innings and second innings batting average. In the first innings, Jayawardene has scored 8719 runs (nearly 74% of his Test runs) at a phenomenal average of 60.13.

However, in the second innings, Jayawardene only has 3095 runs at an average of 33.64, which is the second lowest average for any player with more than 10000 Test runs. Most of Jayawardene's finest Test knocks have come from the first innings, including his 374 against South Africa at Colombo in 2006.

32 of Jayawardene's Test fifties and 29 of his hundreds have come in the first innings. Out of Jayawardene's 5 centuries in the second innings, only one of them is above 150.

#3. Steve Waugh- 28.24

Steve Waugh has the lowest second innings average for any batsman with more than 10000 Test runs

Another all-time great, Steve Waugh has a tremendous difference in his first innings and second innings statistics. The former Australia skipper has scored, 8558 runs (78.3 of his 10927 Test runs) in the first innings from 166 innings at an average of 60.69.

In the second innings, Waugh has played only 94 innings but has scored only 2369 runs at an average of 32.45 which is the lowest second innings batting average for any player with more than 10000 Test runs.

Waugh has scored most of his finest knocks in the first innings including his highest score of 200. Only two of Waugh's 32 Test centuries have come in the second innings. However, Waugh has played some good knocks in the second innings with his highest score being 134 from 177 deliveries against Sri Lanka at Hobart in 1989.

#2. Virender Sehwag- 32.25

Sehwag has scored only a century in the second innings throughout his Test career

One of the most destructive batsmen in cricket history, Virender Sehwag has a huge difference in the averages of his first and innings. Viru has scored nearly 3/4th of his 8586 Test runs in the first innings.

Sehwag scored 6438 runs from 104 innings at an average of 62.50 in the first innings. In the second innings, Sehwag has scored only 2148 runs from 76 innings at an average of just 30.25.

Sehwag has scored 22 of his 23 Test centuries in the first innings including both his triple centuries against Pakistan in 2004 and against South Africa in 2008. In the second innings, Sehwag only has 14 fifties and a hundred. His only hundred in the second innings came against Australia at Adelaide in 2008 where he went on to make 151.

#1. Steve Smith- 37.68

Steve Smith has the highest average difference between both innings in Test Cricket One of the finest batsmen in the world at present, Australian skipper Steve Smith has 5557 Test runs. Of those, 3880 (69.8%) have been scored in the 57 times he batted in the first innings at a mammoth average of 77.60.

In the second innings, Smith only has 1677 runs from 50 innings at an average of 39.92. It is the highest second innings average on this list, but his consistency in the first innings has also created a huge gap.

While Smith has scored 19 of his 21 centuries in the first innings, he has scored 13 of his 21 half-centuries in the second innings. Even though most of Smith’s finest performances including his highest score of 215 has come in the first innings, he has produced some fine performances in the second innings.

Smith’s highest score in the second innings is his 138 against New Zealand at Perth in 2015.