Top five highest individual scores in away Tests in 21st century
Batting in overseas conditions is pretty difficult and when it comes to Test cricket, the difficulty level is one notch higher. When a batter is able to score a hundred in an away Test, it is remembered quite fondly by the fans and becomes one of their career highlights. Here are the top 5 individual efforts in away Tests in the 21st century:
5. Ross Taylor – 290 vs Australia, Perth, 2015
The Blackcaps legend almost put himself in a position where he was going to be the only second batter in his nation’s history to score a triple century. Sadly, he missed out, but the knock remains one of the finest to have ever been played. He hit an outstanding number of fours in this innings, 43 to be precise as New Zealand stood toe to toe in this high-scoring drawn match. This knock came at the WACA ground, the original home of cricket in Perth.
4. Virender Sehwag – 309 vs Pakistan, Multan, 2004
A lot of things about this knock are quite historic and iconic. This was the first time an Indian batter got a triple century in Tests. The Nawab of Najafgarh went on to get to the mark with a six, something which has become synonymous to his style over the years. Interestingly, this was the second-fastest triple century at the time, a record which he later claimed with his second triple four years later at home.
3. Hashim Amla – 311* vs England, London, 2012
A triple century had been away from the South African cricket records for a long time. Despite a few players getting massive double centuries, a triple was yet to be achieved. And, there wasn’t any batter more adequate than Amla to get to the record. He did it at the Oval, one of the most iconic grounds in the history of cricket. He batted for 529 balls during his marathon knock as he succeeded in breaking the spirits of the opposition bowlers and creating a record.
2. Kumar Sangakkara – 319 vs Bangladesh, Chattogram, 2014
Sangakkara is arguably the best batter who has played cricket for the Island nation and in 2014, he got his first triple century. He had previously gotten close to the big record but never really got past it. In this incredible innings, he hit 32 fours and eight sixes as he tired the Bangladeshi bowlers with his fine stroke play and concentration.
1. Chris Gayle – 333 vs Sri Lanka, Galle, 2010
This could be a bit surprising for people, but back in the day, the Universe Boss, who is arguably one of the best batters to have ever played T20 cricket, was actually a brilliant Test cricketer. This was his second triple century, which makes him one of the four batters to ever got this feat twice. It should also be noted before coming into this game, he had scores of 9, 1, 44, 0, 0, 0 during his previous Test tour to Sri Lanka. But, he found a way to re-write the numbers forever.
Note: Pakistan batter Azhar Ali’s 302* vs West Indies in Dubai in 2016 has not been included as it was played at a neutral venue.