Most runs scored in a single day of a Test match in 21st century
Scoring runs in any format of cricket is a tough task for the batsmen, and when it comes to the longest format of the game, Test match cricket, it becomes even tougher. It is really hard on the batsmen to toil through days of fielding and then bat with the sun shining right over their heads to help their teams to good totals. But, there are instances when unimaginable numbers are put on board by the batsmen. So, here’s a look at the 5 highest scores put on board in a single day of a Test match in the 21st Century.
5. New Zealand and Bangladesh (Day 4, 474 runs, 8th Mar 2019)
Bangladesh’s third entry in this list comes in the form of another record-breaking score being put up on the board, this time, their opponent being the New Zealand Cricket Team. After no play taking place on the first two days of the match, Bangladesh, batting in their first inning, scored 211 runs before losing their ten wickets and the New Zealanders ended the day with 38 runs on the board for the loss of 2 wickets. On the 4th day of the match, New Zealand, thanks to a double ton by Ross Taylor, put on 394 runs, pushing their first inning total to 432 runs. The Bangladeshi batsmen followed it up by scoring 209 runs, 80 of which were scored on the day 4 of the match. This made the total number of runs scored on the 4th day of the match to 474 runs. The action ended with New Zealand winning the match by an innings and 12 runs.
4. England and Bangladesh (Day 2, 475 runs, 3rd Jun 2005)
After the Bangladesh team started the match on a really bad note, scoring 104 runs in their first inning of the match, it was time for the England batsmen to capitalise on the situation and pile on a big score and get a substantial lead in the match. Going into the second day of the match, the England score rested at 269 runs. And, on that day Ian Bell took charge of the English batting attack and went on to score 162 runs not out. The Bangladeshi batters followed it up with their own counter-attack with the bat, and on the second day, their inning stood at 297 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. And these two innings combined led to the posting of 475 runs on the board. In spite of a tough fight, Bangladesh lost the match by an innings and 27 runs.
3. India and Australia (Day 3, 482 runs, 2nd Jan 2000)
On day 3 of the Test match between India and Australia hell broke loose on the bowlers when the batsmen from both the Indian and the Australian team thrashed them for as many as 482 runs. After ending their inning on 331 runs for the loss of 4 wickets on day 2, the Australian batsmen Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting walked back to the pavilion, not out on 167 runs and 34 runs respectively. And when they returned to the field on the third day, the picked up right from where they left off. Justin Langer was dismissed for 223 runs and Ponting remained not out with 141 runs to his name. The Indian innings followed, where VVS Laxman top scored with 167 runs, pushing the score to 261 runs. The Indians lost the match by an innings and 141 runs, but the team had become a part of the record books.
2. Australia and South Africa (Day 1, 482 runs, 22nd Nov 2012)
The score put up by the Indian and Australian batsmen in the year 2000 was matched by those from Australia and South Africa in the year 2012 when they piled up 482 runs while playing in Adelaide. On the very first day of the match, thanks to the centuries from David Warner and Michael Hussey and a double ton from Michael Clarke, the Aussies posted 550 runs on the board at the end of their first inning. Out of these 550 runs, 482 runs were scored on the very first day of the match. The South Africans put on a stringent fight and the match ended in a draw with the Man of the Match award being given to Faf du Plessis.
1. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh (Day 2, 509 runs, 21 July 2002)
The most runs by one team in a day of Test cricket is 509 by Sri Lanka against Bangladesh on 22 July 2002!
— ICC (@ICC) November 22, 2012
In a Test match that was played way back in the year 2002 where the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi batsmen, on the second day of the game, that started on the 21st of July in 2002, amassed a total of 509 runs. During this historic spell of the display of batting finesse by the batsmen from these two countries, the top scorers were Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya. The duo posted a partnership of 234 runs on the board, and their individual scores too soared high. Aravinda de Silva scored 206 runs off 234 deliveries and Sanath Jayasuriya scored 145 runs off 164 deliveries. Sri Lanka in that match had a landslide win, as they went on to beat Bangladesh by an innings and 196 runs.
