3 longest innings in Test history
Test cricket is the oldest, longest and purest form of cricket. It takes a lot of grit and patience for the players to play the long format but It is every cricketer’s dream to wear the Whites for their respective countries. Scoring runs, centuries in the format is special for the batters but to occupy the crease for a long long time requires courage, composure, and tolerance.
Let’s take a look at the 3 longest Test innings (in terms of minutes) in history
3.Alastair Cook (836 mins)
Former England skipper and batter was a legend in the Test arena. With 12472 runs, he is the fifth-highest run-scorer in the Test format. In October 2015, he played an innings out of his skin against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi.
Batting first, the Asian side scored 523/8d against the likes of Stuart Broad and James Anderson. In England’s first innings, opener and then captain Cook smashed 263 runs in 528 deliveries with 18 fours and a strike rate of 49.81. He batted for a staggering 836 minutes (13 hours and 56 minutes) in the middle as England posted 598/9d. His innings certainly helped the English side as they managed to achieve a draw.
2.Gary Kirsten (878 mins)
In the boxing day Test against England in 1999 in Durban, the former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten slammed 275 runs in 642 deliveries in the second innings of the Test. Kirsten struck 26 fours with a strike rate of 42.83. Following on, the Proteas left-handed opening batter occupied the crease for 878 minutes (14 hours and 38 minutes), the second-longest innings in terms of time in the history of Test cricket, as South Africa scored 572/7 in 209.2 overs and achieved a draw.
3.Hanif Mohammad (970 minutes)
Former Pakistani batter Hanif Mohammad holds the record for the longest innings in Tests in terms of time. In 1958, Mohammad smashed 337 runs in the second innings of the Test against West Indies in Bridgetown. Following on, right-handed Hanif batted for 970 minutes (16 hours and 10 minutes) with the help of 24 fours. Pakistan scored a mammoth 657/8d in the second innings and secured a draw.
