Top 5 Test batsmen with most runs in winning causes

South Africa v India 1st Test - Day 4
The Master Blaster has scored more runs than any No.4 batsman in Tests in a winning cause

For over 14 decades, Test cricket has seen several great batsmen come and go, making a huge impact in its history. Several of these batsmen have scored a bucket-load of runs throughout their career and have dominated the finest of bowlers.

Scoring plenty of runs is a great deal but seeing those runs contribute to the team’s victory always makes the player feel that he is on cloud 9. After all, that’s the motive of every batsman, to score runs and help his team win the match. There have been many batsmen who have scored a lot of runs in winning causes. Here are the top 5 Test run-scorers in a winning cause.

#5 Sachin Tendulkar - 5946 runs

Widely considered to be the greatest cricketer of all-time, Sachin Tendulkar scored 15921 runs in Test cricket. Out of those, only 5946 (37.3%) came in a winning cause. Nevertheless, that was enough to be amongst the Top 5 Test batsmen with most runs in a winning cause. It is the most runs by an Indian Test batsman in a winning cause.

Tendulkar scored these runs from 113 innings at an average of 61.93. Tendulkar also holds the record for the most number of runs by a No.4 batsman in a winning cause with 5529 runs.

Tendulkar played several magnificent knocks in Tests which came in a winning cause. 20 of his 51 Test hundreds came in a winning cause. This is nine more than his centuries in a losing cause. Two of the Master Blaster’s double hundreds came in winning causes including his highest Test score of 248 against Bangladesh in 2004.

#4 Matthew Hayden - 6154 runs

1st Test - Australia v West Indies - Day 3
Hayden has scored more runs than any Test opener in a winning cause

One of the finest openers during his time, Matthew Hayden scored 8625 runs in Test cricket. Out of those, 6154 have come in winning causes, which is 71.3% of his total Test runs. This is the highest percentage on this list. Hayden has scored more Test runs in a winning cause than any other opener. Hayden scored these runs from123 innings, averaging 55.44.

Several of Hayden’s magnificent Test knocks resulted in Australia winning the match. 23 of Hayden’s 30 Test centuries came in a winning cause. As a matter of fact, his epic 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003 also came in a winning cause. No wonder his retirement was a massive loss to Australian cricket.

#3 Jacques Kallis - 6379 runs

South Africa v India 2nd Test - Day 4
Kallis has scored nearly half his Test runs in a winning cause

Perhaps the greatest all-rounder who ever played the sport, Jacques Kallis is the third-highest run-scorer in Tests with 13289 runs. 6379 of those (48%) came in a winning cause. This is the most number of runs in a winning cause by any South African batsman in Test cricket. Kallis scored these runs from 124 innings at an average of 62.53.

Kallis was a talismanic figure for South Africa and several of his greatest Test innings resulted in a Proteas win. Most of Kallis’ innings in a winning cause came when he batted at No.3 or No.4. 22 of Kallis’ 45 Test centuries came in a winning cause. Both of Kallis’ Test double hundreds including his highest Test score of 224 have also come in a winning cause.

#2 Steve Waugh - 6460 runs

Steve Waugh of Australia
Steve Waugh has scored more runs than any No.5 and No.6 batsman in a winning cause in Tests

One of the greatest Test batsmen of all-time, Steve Waugh scored nearly 60% of his 10927 Test runs in a winning cause. Waugh scored 6460 runs from 120 innings at an impressive average of 69.46. Waugh scored 4244 of these runs while batting at No.5 which is the most number of Test runs by a No.5 batsman in a winning cause. Waugh scored 2016 runs while batting at No.6 which is the most number of Test runs by a No.6 batsman in a winning cause.

Several of Waugh’s massive Test knocks resulted in Australia winning the match. 25 of his 32 Test hundreds came in a winning cause. Waugh’s solitary Test double ton against West Indies at Kingston in 1995 also came in a winning cause.

#1 Ricky Ponting - 9157 runs

Australia v India - Fourth Test: Day 4
Punter has scored more runs than any Test batsman in a winning cause

The second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, Ricky Ponting scored 68.44% of his 13378 Test runs in a winning cause. From 178 innings, Ponting scored 9157 runs at an average of 59.46 in a winning cause. Punter scored 6807 of these runs while batting at No.3 which is the most number of runs scored by any batsman in a winning cause, regardless of the position.

Ponting was the nucleus of the Aussie batting during the late-90s and mid-2000s and he scored most of his finest Test knocks during this period. 30 of Ponting’s 41 Test centuries came in a winning cause. 5 of Punter’s 6 Test double hundreds came in a winning cause. These included his highest Test score of 257 against India at Melbourne in 2003

Check RCB Squad 2024 Details. Follow Sportskeeda for IPL 2024 Live Score, Schedule, Points Table

Quick Links

Edited by Tanya Rudra