Top 10 Openers with most runs in Tests

4. Matthew Hayden (Australia) – 8625 runs:

Large, beefy and extremely destructive, Matthew Hayden’s aggression did not extend to the Test arena. While he flayed bowlers in the shorter format, he was quite docile in the longer run, preferring to play “ugly cricket”.

Perhaps that is why he accumulated so many runs, as he worked tirelessly on his defence and his strokeplay. His cover drives and pulls were shows of strength than timing, but he also had an excellent record in the subcontinent. He nearly became the first man to hit 400 in Tests, but fell short as he was dismissed for 380 runs against Zimbabwe. Hayden became only the third player to score four successive centuries – twice.

He nearly became the first man to hit 400 in Tests, but fell short as he was dismissed for 380 runs against Zimbabwe. Hayden became only the third player to score four successive centuries – twice.