Test cricket is played between international cricket teams who are Full Members of the International Cricket Council (ICC).[1] Unlike One Day Internationals, Test matches consist of two innings per team, having no limit in their number of overs.[2] Test cricket is first-class cricket, so statistics and records set in Test matches are also counted toward first-class records. The duration of Tests, currently limited to five days, has varied through Test history, ranging from three days to timeless matches.[3][4] The earliest match now recognised as a Test was played betweenEngland and Australia in March 1877;[5] since then there have been over 2,000 Tests played by 11 teams. The frequency of Tests has steadily increased partly because of the increase in the number of Test-playing countries, and partly as cricket boards seek to maximise their revenue.[6]
Cricket is, by its nature, capable of generating large numbers of records and statistics.[7] This list details the most significant team and individual records in Test cricket.
The most successful team in Test cricket, in terms of both wins and win percentage, is Australia, having won 362 of their 773 Tests (46.83%). Barring the ICC World XI, a rest of world team which played a single Test against Australia in 2005, the least successful team are Bangladeshwho have struggled since their introduction to Test cricket in 2000, leading to questioning of their Test status.[8][9][10]
Australian Donald Bradman, widely considered the greatest batsman of all time,[11][12] holds several personal and partnership records. He scored the most runs in a series, has the most double centuries and was a part of the record 5th and 6th wicket partnerships. His most significant record is his batting average of 99.94. One of cricket's most famous statistics,[13][14] it stands almost 40 runs higher than any other batsman's average. Don Bradman is the only player in the world to have scored 5000 runs against a single opposition: 5028 runs against England.[15]
In the Manchester Test of 1956, England spin bowler Jim Laker took 19 wickets for 90 runs (19–90) which set not only the Test record for best match figures but also the first-class one.[16] In taking 10–53 in the second innings he became the first bowler to capture all ten wickets in a Test match innings, and his analysis remains the best innings figures. Indian Leg-spinner Anil Kumble is the only other bowler to have taken 10 wickets in an innings, claiming 10–74 against Pakistan in 1999.[17] West Indies batsman Brian Lara has the highest individual score in Test cricket: he scored 400 not out against England in 2004 to surpass the innings of 380 by Matthew Hayden six months earlier. Lara had held the record before Hayden, with a score of 375 against England 10 years earlier.[18] Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq holds the record of the fastest test half century from just 21 balls and along with West Indies Batsman Viv Richards holds the record of the fastest test century both of them scoring from just 56 balls.
The trend of countries to increase the number of Test matches they play means that the aggregate lists are dominated by modern players. Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the highest Test wicket-taker in December 2007, when he passed Shane Warne's total of 708 wickets.[19] Within a year, the equivalent batting record of highest run-scorer had also changed hands: Sachin Tendulkar surpassed the tally of 11,953 runs by Brian Lara.[20] The record for most dismissals by a wicket-keeper is held by Mark Boucher of South Africa[21] while the record for most catches by a fielder is held by Rahul Dravid.
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