Top 10 Batsmen with most runs in a single day in a Test match

Top 10 Batsmen with most runs in a single day in a Test match: Test cricket has witnessed many magnificent innings by great batsmen. Some breathtaking innings are part of cricket’s folklore and have set a benchmark for attacking batsmanship. These amazing knocks entertained the fans and also elevated the game to another level. Here’s a look at Top 10 Batsmen with most runs in a single day in a Test match: 10. Herschelle Gibbs, 228 v Pakistan: Herschelle Gibbs. (© Getty Images) The picturesque Newlands at Cape Town witnessed a blistering knock from South Africa’s destructive opener in 2003. This was the second and final Test of the series and it seemed Gibbs had decided to stamp his authority on the Pakistani bowlers which had the likes of Waqar Younis, Sami, Zahid and Saqlain. Gibbs spanked 29 fours and 6 sixes en route to a famous 228 (240 balls) which put the Proteas in a commanding position. The home side scored 620 in the first innings and won the match by an innings and 142 runs, thereby winning the series 2-0. Also Read – Top 10 Fastest 200s in Test cricket 9. Sir Frank Worrell, 239 v England: Frank Worrell. (© Getty Images) One of the “The Three Ws” of the West Indian cricket, Sir Frank Worrell scored a marvellous 261 against England at Trent Bridge in 1950. 239 runs were scored by him in a single day’s play against the English side spearheaded by Sir Alec Bedser. In reply to the home side’s 223, the Windies scored 558 and took a massive lead thanks to the splendid efforts of Worrell who smashed 35 fours and 2 sixes. West Indies, set a target of 102 runs in the final innings, won the match comfortably by 10 wickets. The visitors took a lead in the 4 match series, 2-1, courtesy this commanding performance. Sir Frank Worrel went on to become West Indies’ first appointed black captain, also their most charismatic and influential one. 8. Sir Donald Bradman, 244 v England: Sir Don Bradman. (© Allsport Hulton/Archive via Getty Images) The greatest Test batsman of all time stamped his class wherever he played. He lit up The Oval in a timeless match in August 1934. The series was tied at 1-1 and this 5th Ashes Test was the decider. Sir Don’s magnificent batting display, in the company of Bill Ponsford, took the Aussies to 475/2 at the end of day 1. He was the second batsman to be dismissed however not before scoring a dominating 244, a knock which included 32 glorious boundaries and 1 six. Ponsford top scored with a brilliant 266 and the visitors scored 701 in the first innings and eventually won the match by 562 runs and took the Ashes home. 7. David Warner, 244 v New Zealand: David Warner. (© Getty Images) The Australian opener stamped his authority against New Zealand at Perth. The 29-year-old still goes hard, mighty hard in fact. But to everyone’s delight, he knows how to stay patient when the situation calls for it. Dot balls don’t bother him like they used to, and he’s become good at picking off singles when the field has been moved back. Against New Zealand, he picked off 85 singles, while the innings also featured 136 dot balls. He notched up his century off 118 balls, with 12 boundaries. Australia reached 250 runs in the 55th over, while David Warner brought up his 150 off 182 balls. At stumps, he was unbeaten on 244*, with 22 boundaries and 2 sixes. 6. Virender Sehwag, 257 v South Africa: Virender Sehwag. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Resuming his innings at 52* on day 3 of the first Test at Chepauk in 2008, Sehwag produced another scintillating knock. In reply to South Africa’s first innings total of 540 India posted 627, courtesy an amazing triple ton from the blazing blade, Sehwag. He hit 42 fours and 5 sixes in this spending knock. He smashed 257 runs on the 3rd day and remained unbeaten on 309 only to be dismissed on the 4th day morning for a well made 319. The Proteas had the likes of Steyn, Ntini, Morkel and Kallis but none of them could keep Viru quiet. The match eventually ended in a draw with South Africa safely negotiating 109 overs in their second innings. 5. Sir Donald Bradman, 271 v England: Sir Don Bradman is believed to be the best batsman of all time. (Photo Source: Getty Images) In yet another display of masterly batting, Sir Don rescued Australia from a precarious position and put them in a commanding one in the 4th Test of the 1934 Ashes series. In reply to England’s 200 the visitors started shakily and were 3/39 at the end of Day 1. Sir Don joined Bill Ponsford the next morning and put up a great show; the two famous Australian run-getters beat all previous partnership records in Test matches. They carried the score in five and half hours to 427 before Ponsford was out. Sir Don was at his imperious best and scored 271 runs on this day. He was dismissed on day 3 for a triple ton; a memorable 304 which included 43 strikes to the fence and 2 over it. England managed to hang on to a draw thanks to heavy rain on the 4th day which caused the match to be abandoned. England survived at 6/229 and the series remained in the balance at 1-1 going into the decider in which the Aussies outplayed the home side; again thanks to these 2 great gentlemen. 4. Denis Compton, 273 v Pakistan: Denis Compton. (© Getty Images) One of England’s most remarkable batsmen, Compton put on a spectacular show of batting at Trent Bridge in 1954 against Pakistan. The second Test of the 4-match series started with the visitors being bundled out for a modest 157. England in reply was 121/2 at the end of Day 1 with Compton batting on 5. He put the home side in a winning position by the end of day 2 scoring 273 runs on a glorious day at one of the best grounds in the world to watch cricket. His knock of 278, which included 34 fours and one maximum, took the hosts to 558/6 (dec). Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler, Fazal Mahmood, in a rare instance went wicket-less bowling 47 overs. England won the match by an innings and 129 runs and led the series 1-0. The versatile Compton is one of England’s national icons and credited with bringing back cricket to his nation’s affection after the second world-war. A charismatic personality, Compton finished his illustrious cricket career with a remarkable 123 first-class hundreds. 3. Virender Sehwag, 284 v Sri Lanka: Virender Sehwag. (© Getty Images) Sehwag’s squash-buckling knock gave his team a momentous win, one which took India to the top of the ICC Test rankings for the first time. India entered the 3rd and final match of the 2009 series leading 1-0 and needed to secure a win to become the best Test team in the world. In reply to Sri Lanka’s competitive 393 in the first innings, India put on a mammoth 726/9 (dec) winning the match by an innings and 24 runs. Day 2 at the historic Brabourne stadium in Mumbai witnessed a special knock from the ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ who was in a punishing mood. He smashed 284 runs on an amazing run-filled day and took the Indian total to 443/1 at stumps. The likes of Murli, Herath, Kulasekara and Welegedara tried their best to stop him but to no avail. Reverse-sweeps, square-cuts, huge sixes and classy cover drives thoroughly entertained a huge crowd that had turned out to support their team. Viru was dismissed by Murli on the 3rd morning for a great knock of 293 which included 40 fours and 7 sixes. 2. Wally Hammond, 295 v New Zealand: Walter Hammond. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The best English batsman of the 1930s, Wally Hammond was one of the most exciting batsmen to have ever played this great game. His stupendous knock of 336 not out, against the Kiwis at Auckland in April 1933, was a world record at that time surpassing Sir Don’s 334 obtained at Leeds in 1930. In reply to the home side’s 158, England posted 548/7 (dec) thanks to Hammond’s masterly knock. He hit 34 fours and 10 sixes to put England in a winning position. The home side in reply batted 8.3 over before the match was abandoned on day 3 due to heavy rains. Hammond started day 2 on 41 and spanked another 295 runs at the picturesque Eden Park. The 2 match series ended 0-0; weather playing spoilsport in both the Tests. Hammond was a batting genius who scored 167 first-class hundreds. Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack described him in his obituary as one of the four best batsmen in the history of cricket. 1. Sir Donald Bradman, 309 v England: Sir Don Bradman. (© Allsport Hulton/Archive via Getty Images) A knock as legendary as the man himself, Sir Don’s 334, the then world record, remains an epitome of attacking batsmanship. The 3rd Ashes Test in July 1930 produced his most talked about knock ever. Batting first, he walked into bat early at the fall of Archie Jackson’s wicket; Aussies were 2/1 at this point. Sir Don took centre stage and enthralled a capacity crowd with an innings that remains iconic in the history of cricket. He scored a century before lunch, added another century between lunch and tea before finishing the day on 309. He remains the only Test player to pass 300 in one day’s play. His eventual score of 334 was the then world-record, surpassing Andy Sandham’s 325. He battled through a difficult session when England fast bowler Harold Larwood bowled short on a pitch enlivened by rain. His knock included 46 fours and Australia posted a huge total of 566. England in reply scored 391 and had to follow-on. The home side’s second innings lasted 51.5 overs and the match was abandoned due to bad weather on day 4. The 5 match series thus remained tied at 1-1. Sir Don was presented with a cheque for £1,000 in appreciation of his achievement by a businessman named Arthur Whitelaw. Also Read – 11 Greatest bowling partnerships in Cricket (All Stats Updated Till 13th February, 2015)