11 Test records that may never be broken

Test cricket is the oldest and the toughest format of the game as it demands a lot of qualities from a player like commitment, endurance, patience, physical and mental fitness, consistency, and a hunger to excel. Only a few players who have ticked all these boxes have gone on to achieve success in this format. While many players proved their worth equally well in Test cricket along with other formats, there have been a few including the likes of England pacers Stuart Broad and James Anderson who have sacrificed their limited-overs careers to achieve excellence in red-ball cricket. Another interesting thing is that some of the renowned greats of the game have set high standards by making such individual records that it could be impossible for any player to shatter them. Here’s a look at 11 of them: 1. Virat Kohli’s seven double centuries as Test skipper Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: John Mallett/Leicestershire CCC) Virat Kohli might have witnessed a slump in batting form, but there used to be a time when he scored runs and centuries for fun on a consistent basis, especially between 2016-2019. Kohli holds a unique record as captain in the longest format of the game. The 33-year-old became India’s Test skipper in December 2014 when MS Dhoni had shockingly announced his retirement from red-ball cricket. Thus, as India’s full-time Test skipper, Kohli went on to register a record seven double centuries between July 2016 to October 2019. His Test double-centuries came against the West Indies 200 (2016), New Zealand 211 (2016), England 235 (2016), Bangladesh 204 (2017), Sri Lanka 213 and 243 (2017), and South Africa (254*). 2. Mark Boucher’s 555 dismissals Mark Boucher. (Photo by Ben Hoskins/Getty Images) Mark Boucher is one of the finest wicketkeepers to have played the sport and successfully went on to register his name in cricketing history with his exceptional performances behind the stumps in his Test career that spanned from 1997 to 2012. While he might have been overshadowed by his counterparts like Adam Gilchrist and Kumar Sangakkara, Boucher remains the most accomplished wicketkeeper to date. The current South Africa head coach has a record 555 dismissals in the longest format of the game, which is a far-fetched dream for any active or future stumpers. Meanwhile, Boucher has 999 dismissals across all the formats, another tally that could remain undisputed. An eye injury in England in July 2012 forced Boucher to bring curtains down on his illustrious international career. He decided to give it back to cricket in the ‘Rainbow Nation’ as a coach and has been guiding the Proteas since December 2019. 3. Ricky Ponting’s 108 Test wins as a player Ricky Ponting of Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Ricky Ponting needs no introduction. He has taken Australian cricket to unattained heights as captain by leading them to some famous global triumphs like the 2003 and 2007 World Cup victories and back-to-back ICC Champions Trophy titles in the 2006 and 2009 editions. Under Ponting, Australia were also a force to reckon with in the longest format. Nonetheless, as far as his individual excellence in Test cricket is concerned, the former Aussie skipper has won as many as 108 matches as a player, which is impossible to be broken that easily as winning over 100 Test matches as an individual demands the next level of greatness. Meanwhile, Ponting also remains the second-highest run-getter in Test cricket, having amassed 13,378 runs from 168 matches. 4. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene’s 624-run partnership Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have been two of the greatest cricketers of all time. Both have been the pioneers of Sri Lankan triumphs throughout the 2000s and till the mid-2010s including the 2014 T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, the duo registered a world-record partnership of 624 runs for the third wicket against South Africa at Colombo in 2006. In modern-day cricket, teams breach the 600-run mark with great difficulty and therefore, this record could remain intact forever. Nobody has even come close to this tally in the last 15 years. Unlike other records, this collective record will also be etched in the cricketing folklore and the two legendary batters involved as well. 5. Rahul Dravid’s 210 catches Rahul Dravid. (Photo by Tony Lewis/Getty Images) Rahul Dravid is an underrated gem of Indian cricket who stood for his team during times of crisis and silently kept on doing his job whenever the situation demanded. More importantly, he also batted at various batting positions and donned the wicketkeeper’s gloves in his successful international career from 1996 to 2012. A unique feat held by Dravid in the longest format is having taken 210 catches as a fielder, which is the most by any player. The closest to this milestone is veteran Sri Lankan batter Mahela Jayawardene with 205. This is another Test record that could remain intact forever. Apart from these two, only former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis has taken 200 catches in the format. 6. Shortest Test match between Australia and South Africa in 1932 A cricket bat and ball. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) Test cricket history has witnessed many matches getting wrapped up pretty early mostly due to the inclement weather conditions or due to the dangerous nature of the wicket. Nonetheless, there has been one instance where a Test match was completed way sooner thanks to some on-field brilliance from Australia in all departments. The Melbourne Test match between Australia and South Africa in 1932 was the shortest Test match ever played with a result in just five hours and 53 minutes. The Aussies scored 153 and skittled the Proteas for 36 and 45 to end the proceedings. It is unlikely that such an instance will ever be witnessed in Test cricket. 7. Hanif Mohammad’s longest stay at the crease Hanif Mohammad. (Photo by Getty Images) Pakistan cricket has seen many batters making tremendous impact in the international arena with consistent performances on the 22 yards. However, one among them happens to be the legendary Hanif Mohammad who used to be a versatile batter during his playing days. Apart from being a key player, the yesteryear cricketer had also shown a ‘never-say-die’ attitude with an individual record that remains intact to date. Pakistan’s ‘Little Master’ made a unique Test record against West Indies at Bridgetown in January 1958 as he spent more than sixteen hours at the crease and successfully saved a Test match for Pakistan which seemed to be slipping away. It has been over six decades since the knock was played and no one has managed to break this record as of now. 8. Oldest Test Player to have graced the game Wilfred Rhodes. (Photo Source: Getty Images) There was a time in the sport when players well into their 40s, and even 50s, played the game at the highest level. One such player was English all-rounder Wilfred Rhodes who became the oldest player to play Test cricket. He made this record on April 03, 1930, against the West Indies, at the age of 52 years and 165 days. In the modern professional era, it is highly improbable to see a player being selected after attaining the age of forty, let alone fifty. This record appears to remain intact forever, especially with teams across the world giving prime importance to fitness and endurance levels, and players’ careers not lasting longer in terms of age. 9. Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800 wickets Muttiah Muralitharan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan is one of the finest spinners to have played the game. He is also one of the most successful bowlers to have registered over 1000 international scalps. However, it is his overall Test tally of 800 wickets that might never be broken. The only bowler close to his record is the late Australian leg-spinner, Shane Warne. As of now, only veteran pacer James Anderson is making some advancements in this tally, having registered over 650 scalps to his name. However, it is highly unlikely that even he would be able to go past the 800-mark and the journey is still far for the ageing English pacer. 10. Brian Lara’s 400* Brian Lara. (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) Brian Lara was arguably the best Test batter in the 90s and for some part of the 2000s. He has shattered his world record in Test cricket twice in a span of 1o years. Lara scored a record 375 against England in 1994, which was surpassed by Matthew Hayden who scored 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003. A few months later, the ‘Prince of Trinidad’ went on to score an unbeaten 400 against England in Antigua in April 2004. His score still remains unconquered after 18 years. It can be rightly said that Lara’s highest individual Test score of 400 might never be broken. 11. Donald Bradman’s Test average Don Bradman in 1930. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images) Sir Donald Bradman is arguably the best batter to have played the game of cricket. Bradman became a force to reckon with at the peak of his career in the 30s and 40s, which saw him dominate the bowling attacks for fun. Bradman has the highest-ever Test average (99.94) in history. It is an average which has never been achieved by even the greatest of all time batters. He needed just four runs in his final Test appearance to maintain an average of 100. However, that was not to be as he was dismissed for a duck.

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11 Test records that may never be broken

From Don Bradman's Test average to Brian Lara's 400. here are a few records that may never be broken.

5. Rahul Dravid’s 210 catches

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