Highest Individual Scores in Test Cricket History
The record-breaking individual innings in Test cricket history: from Brian Lara's 400 not out to the greatest centuries, double centuries, and triple centuries ever made at the pinnacle of the game.
The highest individual score in Test cricket history is 400 not out, made by Brian Lara of the West Indies against England at the Antigua Recreation Ground in April 2004. It is the record for the highest individual innings in any form of first-class cricket and is widely considered one of the greatest batting achievements in sporting history.
Brian Lara — 400 Not Out (2004)
Brian Lara reached 400 not out on April 12, 2004, in the 4th Test between West Indies and England in Antigua. His innings lasted 582 balls (13 hours, 4 minutes) and included 43 fours and 4 sixes. The West Indies declared at 751/5 once Lara passed Matthew Hayden's then-world record of 380. It was the second time Lara held the world record, having previously scored 375 against England in 1994, a record broken by Hayden's 380 in 2003.
| Rank | Score | Player | vs | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 400* | Brian Lara (WI) | England | Antigua | 2004 |
| 2 | 380 | Matthew Hayden (AUS) | Zimbabwe | Perth | 2003 |
| 3 | 375 | Brian Lara (WI) | England | Antigua | 1994 |
| 4 | 374 | Mahela Jayawardene (SL) | South Africa | Colombo | 2006 |
| 5 | 365* | Garfield Sobers (WI) | Pakistan | Kingston | 1958 |
| 6 | 364 | Len Hutton (ENG) | Australia | The Oval | 1938 |
The Triple Century Club
Scoring 300+ runs in a Test innings is extraordinarily rare. Only a handful of batters have done it. Garfield Sobers held the world record from 1958 until Lara broke it in 1994. Len Hutton's 364 (set in 1938) had stood for 20 years before Sobers surpassed it — demonstrating how rarely the record changes hands.
Highest Test Scores in the Modern Era
The modern era has produced several elite individual innings. Virender Sehwag (319 vs South Africa, 2008; 293 vs Sri Lanka, 2009) batted at a strike rate well above 80 — extraordinarily aggressive for Test cricket. Kumar Sangakkara (319 vs Bangladesh, 2014) and Rohit Sharma (212 vs South Africa, 2019) are among the elite company at the highest levels.
Why High Scores Are Rarer in the Modern Game
Modern fast bowling, DRS (reducing umpiring errors that previously let batsmen survive marginal decisions), pitch preparation standards, and the mental demands of sustained concentration have all made it harder to bat for 400+ balls in a Test innings. The fact that most of cricket's highest scores were made before the 1990s reflects both the longer batting crease of eras past and changed playing conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest individual score in Test cricket?
Brian Lara's 400 not out for West Indies against England at Antigua in April 2004 is the highest individual score in Test cricket history.
Has anyone scored 500 in Test cricket?
No. 400 not out (Brian Lara, 2004) is the record and has not been approached since. Lara also held the previous record of 375 (1994).
Who has scored the most Test centuries?
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most Test centuries (51) in his career of 200 Tests. Ricky Ponting (41) and Jacques Kallis (45) also rank among the all-time leaders.