Cricket's Greatest World Records: Batting, Bowling, and Fielding Milestones
Cricket's record books are filled with extraordinary individual and team achievements. This guide covers the most significant batting, bowling, and fielding records in Test, ODI, and T20I cricket — from Bradman's 99.94 average to the highest T20I score.
Cricket's records span 148 years of international cricket — from the earliest recorded Test in 1877 to the T20I cricket of the present day. Records come in many categories: batting (highest score, most runs, best average), bowling (most wickets, best average, best strike rate), and fielding (most catches, most stumpings). Some records have stood for decades and seem unbreakable; others are broken regularly as cricket's standards evolve.
Batting Records
Don Bradman's Test batting average of 99.94 (1928-1948) is sport's most extraordinary statistical anomaly — the second-best average in history is approximately 60. The highest individual Test score is Brian Lara's 400 not out (West Indies vs England, 2004). The most Test runs belong to Sachin Tendulkar (15,921). The highest ODI individual score is Martin Guptill's 237 not out (New Zealand vs West Indies, 2015 World Cup). Most ODI centuries: Virat Kohli (50+).
Bowling Records
The most Test wickets in history belong to Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets, average 22.72). James Anderson is the leading pace bowling wicket-taker (704 wickets, average 26.45). Shane Warne took 708 wickets and is the leading leg-spinner. The best Test bowling figures in an innings are 10 for 53 by Jim Laker (England vs Australia, 1956). Most ODI wickets: Muttiah Muralitharan (534 at average 23.08). Most T20I wickets: Shahid Afridi was the long-time holder; modern competition among Wanindu Hasaranga, Rashid Khan, and Shaheen Afridi.
Team Records
The highest Test team total is England's 903/7 declared against Australia at The Oval in 1938 — a record that has stood for 86 years. The highest ODI team total is England's 498/4 vs Netherlands in 2022. The lowest Test team totals belong to New Zealand (26 all out vs England, 1955), illustrating that cricket's range of outcomes — from 903 to 26 — is unlike almost any other team sport. The longest unbeaten Test winning streak is Australia's 16 consecutive wins from 1999 to 2001.
Frequently asked questions
Who has scored the most Test runs?
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most Test runs with 15,921 runs in 200 Tests at an average of 53.78. Ricky Ponting (13,378), Jacques Kallis (13,289), and Rahul Dravid (13,288) are the next highest Test run-scorers.
Who has taken the most Test wickets?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for most Test wickets with 800 wickets in 133 Tests at an average of 22.72. Shane Warne (708) and James Anderson (704) are the next highest wicket-takers.
What is the highest individual Test score?
Brian Lara's 400 not out for West Indies against England in Antigua in 2004 is the highest individual Test score. Lara also holds the second-highest record (375 vs England, 1994). Matthew Hayden previously held the record briefly with 380.