<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-182595" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar.jpg" alt="Sachin Tendulkar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-182595" class="wp-caption-text">Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Maintaining high batting averages is quite tough for any player in any format and it becomes little more difficult when it comes to Test cricket. The challenges like playing in different conditions, against a different set of players and surviving through various time periods come in between. Sir Donald Bradman was an exception as his batting average kept fluctuating between 97 and 103 in his last 10 years of Test career.

At the moment, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/misbah-ul-haqs-pakistan-focus-on-steve-smiths-blind-spot-ahead-of-gabba-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Steve Smith</a> is averaging 64.56 in the longer format. Only time will tell whether he can maintain such a high average until his retirement. The history says even the greats suffered a dip in their averages at some point, especially towards the end of their careers. Hence, the average they achieved at the peak of their career will give a fair idea of how well they dominated in this format.

Here we look at top 5 batsmen in Test cricket and their batting average at peak:

The South African all-rounder didn’t have the best of starts to his Test career especially with the bat. His average moved into the 40s only after playing nearly 30 Test matches across four years of his Test career. By the start of 2000, Kallis became a reliable batsman in the South African Test set-up. His career was on uphill since then as he touched 50 average in the longer format by end of 2002.

During the 2007 Johannesburg Test against New Zealand, Jacques Kallis completed 9000 runs in Test cricket in only 188 innings. He still holds the South African record for being the fastest to the milestone. In the following match in Centurion, Kallis scored a 177-ball 131 to help the hosts win the game by an innings margin. It was Kallis’ 29th Test century with which he equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s century tally.

In a span of 25 Tests into this game, Kallis amassed 2508 runs with help of 10 hundreds that too at an impressive average of 69.67. As a result, Kallis’ career batting average spiked to 58.2; his highest in this format. However, in his last 12 Tests, the all-rounder scored only 728 runs at an average of 33.09. His batting average read 57.61 at end of 153 Tests but the poor run in the last 17 months pulled it down to 55.37.

One of the highlights of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/marengo-sachin-tendulkar-meet-a-new-species-of-spider-named-after-indian-legend/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sachin Tendulkar</a>’s Test career has been going through highs and lows during his 24-year long career. He played as many as 200 Test matches in this period; the most than any other player. Sachin ensured he had high moments in 2nd half of his career as he had in his first half. Many players with long careers show a great differential if their career gets cut into two halves but Sachin’s career wasn’t among those.

Tendulkar hardly took time to get going in the longer format despite making his debut at the age of 16 years only. Facing teams like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa in their own backyards as a teenager, Sachin pilled runs on a consistent basis. His batting average in this format crossed 50 by 1994 even before he turned 21. Sachin’s consistent run for the next decade helped him touch a career-best average of 58.87 in his 90th Test.

Tendulkar struck 176 in the game against Zimbabwe in 2002. Across 40 Tests coming into this match, Sachin struck 4157 runs at an amazing average of 69.28 with 17 centuries. Later in 2009-2011, Tendulkar struck 2263 runs in 21 Tests at an average of 78.03 with ten centuries. This spree kept India’s No.4 batsman’s average close to 57 even after playing 170+ Tests. However, post the 2011 World Cup, Sachin scored only 1229 runs at an average of 32.34 which brought his average down to 53.78.

In the early 2000s, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/daniel-vettori-names-rahul-dravid-as-the-toughest-batsman-to-bowl-at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rahul Dravid</a> became a key figure in the Indian Test line-up while Sachin Tendulkar was struggling with injuries here and there. Dravid’s golden run in Test cricket came across the West Indies tours in 2002 and 2006. Rahul featured in as many as 49 Tests in this period where he amassed 4720 runs at an average of 68.4. He struck 14 tons and 22 half-centuries in 81 innings in this span.

As a result, Dravid’s career average touched 58.75 at the end of the 2006 Jamaica Test where he struck twin fifties to seal a series win. However, Mr Dependable averaged 95 after his Test debut at Lord’s where he scored 95. He scored his 2nd Test fifty in 3rd match after which his average stood at 62.33. It took another 102 matches for Dravid to come close to that figure. However, in the next 26 Test matches, Dravid scored only 1324 runs even though India played a decent number of Tests at home in that period.

The former Indian captain averaged a lowly 29.42 in that span and scored only two hundreds in 49 innings. This poor run brought his Test career average down to 52.12 which is less than what he averaged at the end of his career. In 2011, Dravid scored five centuries including four across the tours to West Indies and England which held his Test batting average little over 53. The 2011/12 series in Australia turned out to be Dravid’s last Test series where he averaged only 24.25.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rishabh-pant-need-to-be-neat-and-tidy-behind-the-stumps-feels-kumar-sangakkara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kumar Sangakkara</a>’s Test career in the first five years was all about big knocks and low scores as his average in the format kept fluctuating close to 50. His big moment came across 2006 and 2007 as he struck 8 centuries in 29 innings. The Sri Lankan amassed 2210 runs at an impressive average of 88.4 in those two years. This period included three double centuries and four 150+ scores. As a result, his Test average touched 57 as Sangakkara scored 5985 runs by end of his 69th Test match.

The left-hander kept scoring runs in the next five years but that wasn’t enough to get past the average of 57. Sangakkara scored 4013 runs across 44 Test matches at an average of 54.97. He went into 2013 having joined the 10000-run club in 115 Tests at an average of 55.8. He reached the milestone in 195 innings; the joint-fastest player ever. Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar also completed 10k Test runs in 195 innings only. Sangakkara’s golden run across all formats started in 2013 and continued till CWC 2015.

In this period, Sangakkara amassed 2158 runs in 15 Test at an average of 77.07. He struck 8 centuries including two double centuries and the best score of 319 across 29 innings only. This golden run helped the Lankan batsman to touch a career-best average of 58.94. Post the 2015 CWC, Sangakkara played only four Tests before announcing retirement from international cricket. He scored only 197 runs at an average of 24.62. An early retirement ensured Sanga’s average didn’t dip more than 57.4.

<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-best-is-yet-to-come-from-babar-azam-in-tests-ricky-ponting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ricky Ponting</a> was the only batsman who threatened to break Sachin Tendulkar’s Test records for a long time. The reason is his impeccable run between 2002 and 2006 in the longer format. Across these five years, the Australian skipper amassed 6141 runs in 57 Tests at an average of 72.24. In the 2006 Adelaide Test against England, Ponting scored 142 and 49 in respective innings. Post this game, Ricky’s Test average lifted to 59.99.

Had he completed his fifty in the 2nd innings of that Test, Ponting could have had a batting average of 60 that too at the end of 107th Test. This is the highest any player achieved after playing 100 Test matches. However, Ponting’s best average in the Test format remains 96 as he scored the same in his maiden innings on Test debut. He scored 71 in the following Test as his average read 83.5 but was never close until he touched 59.99.

Unfortunately, Ponting couldn’t script great things in Test cricket as his career took a slide from 2007. He played as many as 59 Tests from 2007 but only scored 4055 runs at an average of 40.14. This poor run dented Ponting’s Test batting average as it came down to 51.85 by his farewell Test match in 2012. Though Ricky’s average of 59.99 in 2006 was a standout number, his end average of 51.85 is the lowest among the five great players we considered.

(Averages at the end of a Test match are considered)

<figure id="attachment_182595" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-182595" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img class="size-full wp-image-182595" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar.jpg" alt="Sachin Tendulkar" width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img><figcaption id="caption-attachment-182595" class="wp-caption-text">Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Maintaining high batting averages is quite tough for any player in any format and it becomes little more difficult when it comes to Test cricket. The challenges like playing in different conditions, against a different set of players and surviving through various time periods come in between. Sir Donald Bradman was an exception as his batting average kept fluctuating between 97 and 103 in his last 10 years of Test career.
At the moment, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/misbah-ul-haqs-pakistan-focus-on-steve-smiths-blind-spot-ahead-of-gabba-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Steve Smith</a> is averaging 64.56 in the longer format. Only time will tell whether he can maintain such a high average until his retirement. The history says even the greats suffered a dip in their averages at some point, especially towards the end of their careers. Hence, the average they achieved at the peak of their career will give a fair idea of how well they dominated in this format.
<h3>Here we look at top 5 batsmen in Test cricket and their batting average at peak:</h3>
<h3>5. Jacques Kallis – 58.20</h3>
<amp-img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373150 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jacques-Kallis-Test-career.png" alt="Jacques-Kallis-Test-career" width="700" height="558" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
The South African all-rounder didn’t have the best of starts to his Test career especially with the bat. His average moved into the 40s only after playing nearly 30 Test matches across four years of his Test career. By the start of 2000, Kallis became a reliable batsman in the South African Test set-up. His career was on uphill since then as he touched 50 average in the longer format by end of 2002.
During the 2007 Johannesburg Test against New Zealand, Jacques Kallis completed 9000 runs in Test cricket in only 188 innings. He still holds the South African record for being the fastest to the milestone. In the following match in Centurion, Kallis scored a 177-ball 131 to help the hosts win the game by an innings margin. It was Kallis’ 29th Test century with which he equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s century tally.
In a span of 25 Tests into this game, Kallis amassed 2508 runs with help of 10 hundreds that too at an impressive average of 69.67. As a result, Kallis’ career batting average spiked to 58.2; his highest in this format. However, in his last 12 Tests, the all-rounder scored only 728 runs at an average of 33.09. His batting average read 57.61 at end of 153 Tests but the poor run in the last 17 months pulled it down to 55.37.

<h3>4. Sachin Tendulkar – 58.46</h3>
<amp-img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373152 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar-Test-career.png" alt="Sachin-Tendulkar-Test-career" width="700" height="558" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
One of the highlights of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/marengo-sachin-tendulkar-meet-a-new-species-of-spider-named-after-indian-legend/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sachin Tendulkar</a>’s Test career has been going through highs and lows during his 24-year long career. He played as many as 200 Test matches in this period; the most than any other player. Sachin ensured he had high moments in 2nd half of his career as he had in his first half. Many players with long careers show a great differential if their career gets cut into two halves but Sachin’s career wasn’t among those.
Tendulkar hardly took time to get going in the longer format despite making his debut at the age of 16 years only. Facing teams like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa in their own backyards as a teenager, Sachin pilled runs on a consistent basis. His batting average in this format crossed 50 by 1994 even before he turned 21. Sachin’s consistent run for the next decade helped him touch a career-best average of 58.87 in his 90th Test.
Tendulkar struck 176 in the game against Zimbabwe in 2002. Across 40 Tests coming into this match, Sachin struck 4157 runs at an amazing average of 69.28 with 17 centuries. Later in 2009-2011, Tendulkar struck 2263 runs in 21 Tests at an average of 78.03 with ten centuries. This spree kept India’s No.4 batsman’s average close to 57 even after playing 170+ Tests. However, post the 2011 World Cup, Sachin scored only 1229 runs at an average of 32.34 which brought his average down to 53.78.

<h3>3. Rahul Dravid – 58.75</h3>
<amp-img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373151 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-Test-career.png" alt="Rahul-Dravid-Test-career" width="700" height="558" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
In the early 2000s, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/daniel-vettori-names-rahul-dravid-as-the-toughest-batsman-to-bowl-at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rahul Dravid</a> became a key figure in the Indian Test line-up while Sachin Tendulkar was struggling with injuries here and there. Dravid’s golden run in Test cricket came across the West Indies tours in 2002 and 2006. Rahul featured in as many as 49 Tests in this period where he amassed 4720 runs at an average of 68.4. He struck 14 tons and 22 half-centuries in 81 innings in this span.
As a result, Dravid’s career average touched 58.75 at the end of the 2006 Jamaica Test where he struck twin fifties to seal a series win. However, Mr Dependable averaged 95 after his Test debut at Lord’s where he scored 95. He scored his 2nd Test fifty in 3rd match after which his average stood at 62.33. It took another 102 matches for Dravid to come close to that figure. However, in the next 26 Test matches, Dravid scored only 1324 runs even though India played a decent number of Tests at home in that period.
The former Indian captain averaged a lowly 29.42 in that span and scored only two hundreds in 49 innings. This poor run brought his Test career average down to 52.12 which is less than what he averaged at the end of his career. In 2011, Dravid scored five centuries including four across the tours to West Indies and England which held his Test batting average little over 53. The 2011/12 series in Australia turned out to be Dravid’s last Test series where he averaged only 24.25.

<h3>2. Kumar Sangakkara – 58.94:</h3>
<amp-img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373153" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kumar-Sangakkara-Test-career.png" alt="Kumar-Sangakkara-Test-career" width="700" height="558" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rishabh-pant-need-to-be-neat-and-tidy-behind-the-stumps-feels-kumar-sangakkara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kumar Sangakkara</a>’s Test career in the first five years was all about big knocks and low scores as his average in the format kept fluctuating close to 50. His big moment came across 2006 and 2007 as he struck 8 centuries in 29 innings. The Sri Lankan amassed 2210 runs at an impressive average of 88.4 in those two years. This period included three double centuries and four 150+ scores. As a result, his Test average touched 57 as Sangakkara scored 5985 runs by end of his 69th Test match.
The left-hander kept scoring runs in the next five years but that wasn’t enough to get past the average of 57. Sangakkara scored 4013 runs across 44 Test matches at an average of 54.97. He went into 2013 having joined the 10000-run club in 115 Tests at an average of 55.8. He reached the milestone in 195 innings; the joint-fastest player ever. Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar also completed 10k Test runs in 195 innings only. Sangakkara’s golden run across all formats started in 2013 and continued till CWC 2015.
In this period, Sangakkara amassed 2158 runs in 15 Test at an average of 77.07. He struck 8 centuries including two double centuries and the best score of 319 across 29 innings only. This golden run helped the Lankan batsman to touch a career-best average of 58.94. Post the 2015 CWC, Sangakkara played only four Tests before announcing retirement from international cricket. He scored only 197 runs at an average of 24.62. An early retirement ensured Sanga’s average didn’t dip more than 57.4.

<h3>1. Ricky Ponting – 59.99</h3>
<amp-img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373154 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ricky-Ponting-Test-career.png" alt="Ricky-Ponting-Test-career" width="700" height="558" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-best-is-yet-to-come-from-babar-azam-in-tests-ricky-ponting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ricky Ponting</a> was the only batsman who threatened to break Sachin Tendulkar’s Test records for a long time. The reason is his impeccable run between 2002 and 2006 in the longer format. Across these five years, the Australian skipper amassed 6141 runs in 57 Tests at an average of 72.24. In the 2006 Adelaide Test against England, Ponting scored 142 and 49 in respective innings. Post this game, Ricky’s Test average lifted to 59.99.
Had he completed his fifty in the 2nd innings of that Test, Ponting could have had a batting average of 60 that too at the end of 107th Test. This is the highest any player achieved after playing 100 Test matches. However, Ponting’s best average in the Test format remains 96 as he scored the same in his maiden innings on Test debut. He scored 71 in the following Test as his average read 83.5 but was never close until he touched 59.99.
Unfortunately, Ponting couldn’t script great things in Test cricket as his career took a slide from 2007. He played as many as 59 Tests from 2007 but only scored 4055 runs at an average of 40.14. This poor run dented Ponting’s Test batting average as it came down to 51.85 by his farewell Test match in 2012. Though Ricky’s average of 59.99 in 2006 was a standout number, his end average of 51.85 is the lowest among the five great players we considered.
<h6>(Averages at the end of a Test match are considered)</h6>

<figure id="attachment_182595" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-182595" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-182595" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar.jpg" alt="Sachin Tendulkar" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-182595" class="wp-caption-text">Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption></figure>
Maintaining high batting averages is quite tough for any player in any format and it becomes little more difficult when it comes to Test cricket. The challenges like playing in different conditions, against a different set of players and surviving through various time periods come in between. Sir Donald Bradman was an exception as his batting average kept fluctuating between 97 and 103 in his last 10 years of Test career.
At the moment, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/misbah-ul-haqs-pakistan-focus-on-steve-smiths-blind-spot-ahead-of-gabba-test/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Steve Smith</a> is averaging 64.56 in the longer format. Only time will tell whether he can maintain such a high average until his retirement. The history says even the greats suffered a dip in their averages at some point, especially towards the end of their careers. Hence, the average they achieved at the peak of their career will give a fair idea of how well they dominated in this format.
<h3>Here we look at top 5 batsmen in Test cricket and their batting average at peak:</h3>
<h3>5. Jacques Kallis – 58.20</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373150 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Jacques-Kallis-Test-career.png" alt="Jacques-Kallis-Test-career" width="700" height="558" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">
The South African all-rounder didn’t have the best of starts to his Test career especially with the bat. His average moved into the 40s only after playing nearly 30 Test matches across four years of his Test career. By the start of 2000, Kallis became a reliable batsman in the South African Test set-up. His career was on uphill since then as he touched 50 average in the longer format by end of 2002.
During the 2007 Johannesburg Test against New Zealand, Jacques Kallis completed 9000 runs in Test cricket in only 188 innings. He still holds the South African record for being the fastest to the milestone. In the following match in Centurion, Kallis scored a 177-ball 131 to help the hosts win the game by an innings margin. It was Kallis’ 29th Test century with which he equalled Sir Donald Bradman’s century tally.
In a span of 25 Tests into this game, Kallis amassed 2508 runs with help of 10 hundreds that too at an impressive average of 69.67. As a result, Kallis’ career batting average spiked to 58.2; his highest in this format. However, in his last 12 Tests, the all-rounder scored only 728 runs at an average of 33.09. His batting average read 57.61 at end of 153 Tests but the poor run in the last 17 months pulled it down to 55.37.

<h3>4. Sachin Tendulkar – 58.46</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373152 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sachin-Tendulkar-Test-career.png" alt="Sachin-Tendulkar-Test-career" width="700" height="558" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">
One of the highlights of <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/marengo-sachin-tendulkar-meet-a-new-species-of-spider-named-after-indian-legend/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sachin Tendulkar</a>’s Test career has been going through highs and lows during his 24-year long career. He played as many as 200 Test matches in this period; the most than any other player. Sachin ensured he had high moments in 2nd half of his career as he had in his first half. Many players with long careers show a great differential if their career gets cut into two halves but Sachin’s career wasn’t among those.
Tendulkar hardly took time to get going in the longer format despite making his debut at the age of 16 years only. Facing teams like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa in their own backyards as a teenager, Sachin pilled runs on a consistent basis. His batting average in this format crossed 50 by 1994 even before he turned 21. Sachin’s consistent run for the next decade helped him touch a career-best average of 58.87 in his 90th Test.
Tendulkar struck 176 in the game against Zimbabwe in 2002. Across 40 Tests coming into this match, Sachin struck 4157 runs at an amazing average of 69.28 with 17 centuries. Later in 2009-2011, Tendulkar struck 2263 runs in 21 Tests at an average of 78.03 with ten centuries. This spree kept India’s No.4 batsman’s average close to 57 even after playing 170+ Tests. However, post the 2011 World Cup, Sachin scored only 1229 runs at an average of 32.34 which brought his average down to 53.78.

<h3>3. Rahul Dravid – 58.75</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373151 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rahul-Dravid-Test-career.png" alt="Rahul-Dravid-Test-career" width="700" height="558" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">
In the early 2000s, <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/daniel-vettori-names-rahul-dravid-as-the-toughest-batsman-to-bowl-at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rahul Dravid</a> became a key figure in the Indian Test line-up while Sachin Tendulkar was struggling with injuries here and there. Dravid’s golden run in Test cricket came across the West Indies tours in 2002 and 2006. Rahul featured in as many as 49 Tests in this period where he amassed 4720 runs at an average of 68.4. He struck 14 tons and 22 half-centuries in 81 innings in this span.
As a result, Dravid’s career average touched 58.75 at the end of the 2006 Jamaica Test where he struck twin fifties to seal a series win. However, Mr Dependable averaged 95 after his Test debut at Lord’s where he scored 95. He scored his 2nd Test fifty in 3rd match after which his average stood at 62.33. It took another 102 matches for Dravid to come close to that figure. However, in the next 26 Test matches, Dravid scored only 1324 runs even though India played a decent number of Tests at home in that period.
The former Indian captain averaged a lowly 29.42 in that span and scored only two hundreds in 49 innings. This poor run brought his Test career average down to 52.12 which is less than what he averaged at the end of his career. In 2011, Dravid scored five centuries including four across the tours to West Indies and England which held his Test batting average little over 53. The 2011/12 series in Australia turned out to be Dravid’s last Test series where he averaged only 24.25.

<h3>2. Kumar Sangakkara – 58.94:</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373153" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Kumar-Sangakkara-Test-career.png" alt="Kumar-Sangakkara-Test-career" width="700" height="558" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/rishabh-pant-need-to-be-neat-and-tidy-behind-the-stumps-feels-kumar-sangakkara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kumar Sangakkara</a>’s Test career in the first five years was all about big knocks and low scores as his average in the format kept fluctuating close to 50. His big moment came across 2006 and 2007 as he struck 8 centuries in 29 innings. The Sri Lankan amassed 2210 runs at an impressive average of 88.4 in those two years. This period included three double centuries and four 150+ scores. As a result, his Test average touched 57 as Sangakkara scored 5985 runs by end of his 69th Test match.
The left-hander kept scoring runs in the next five years but that wasn’t enough to get past the average of 57. Sangakkara scored 4013 runs across 44 Test matches at an average of 54.97. He went into 2013 having joined the 10000-run club in 115 Tests at an average of 55.8. He reached the milestone in 195 innings; the joint-fastest player ever. Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar also completed 10k Test runs in 195 innings only. Sangakkara’s golden run across all formats started in 2013 and continued till CWC 2015.
In this period, Sangakkara amassed 2158 runs in 15 Test at an average of 77.07. He struck 8 centuries including two double centuries and the best score of 319 across 29 innings only. This golden run helped the Lankan batsman to touch a career-best average of 58.94. Post the 2015 CWC, Sangakkara played only four Tests before announcing retirement from international cricket. He scored only 197 runs at an average of 24.62. An early retirement ensured Sanga’s average didn’t dip more than 57.4.

<h3>1. Ricky Ponting – 59.99</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-373154 aligncenter" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Ricky-Ponting-Test-career.png" alt="Ricky-Ponting-Test-career" width="700" height="558" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px">
<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/the-best-is-yet-to-come-from-babar-azam-in-tests-ricky-ponting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ricky Ponting</a> was the only batsman who threatened to break Sachin Tendulkar’s Test records for a long time. The reason is his impeccable run between 2002 and 2006 in the longer format. Across these five years, the Australian skipper amassed 6141 runs in 57 Tests at an average of 72.24. In the 2006 Adelaide Test against England, Ponting scored 142 and 49 in respective innings. Post this game, Ricky’s Test average lifted to 59.99.
Had he completed his fifty in the 2nd innings of that Test, Ponting could have had a batting average of 60 that too at the end of 107th Test. This is the highest any player achieved after playing 100 Test matches. However, Ponting’s best average in the Test format remains 96 as he scored the same in his maiden innings on Test debut. He scored 71 in the following Test as his average read 83.5 but was never close until he touched 59.99.
Unfortunately, Ponting couldn’t script great things in Test cricket as his career took a slide from 2007. He played as many as 59 Tests from 2007 but only scored 4055 runs at an average of 40.14. This poor run dented Ponting’s Test batting average as it came down to 51.85 by his farewell Test match in 2012. Though Ricky’s average of 59.99 in 2006 was a standout number, his end average of 51.85 is the lowest among the five great players we considered.
<h6>(Averages at the end of a Test match are considered)</h6>

Here we look at top 5 batsmen in Test cricket and their batting average at peak.

Top 5 batsmen and their highest batting average in Test cricket

Maintaining high batting averages is quite tough for any player in any format and it becomes little more difficult when it comes to Test cricket.