Test cricket provides an element to the game of cricket which none of the other international formats provide – time. Players can bat throughout an entire day, make partnerships and get scores of over 300 runs in one day. This is why the highest score in Test cricket is considered one of the most amazing accomplishments. There are two main categories of records. First of all, there is the highest team score in Test cricket – it is held by Sri Lanka who amassed 952/6 declared against India in 1997. And the highest individual score is held by Brian Lara of West Indies who made 400 not out against England in 2004.
However, India also have their own entry in terms of high Test scores, while Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also have notable double century performances in their career.
What Is the Highest Score in Test Cricket by a Team?
The highest score in Test cricket by a team is 952/6 declared which was recorded by Sri Lanka against India in 1997 in Colombo. Sri Lanka batted for 271 overs in their second innings and produced a huge total on a pitch which provided very little help for the bowlers. Sanath Jayasuriya scored 340, Roshan Mahanama scored 225, and these two players shared 576-run partnership.
Finally, Sri Lanka chose to declare at 952/6. India scored 537/8 declared in their first innings and the game finished in a draw, since India scored 397/1 in their second innings.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest Test team score | 952/6 declared |
| Team | Sri Lanka |
| Opposition | India |
| Venue | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Year | 1997 |
| Overs | 271 |
| Top scorer | Sanath Jayasuriya |
| Jayasuriya’s score | 340 |
| Result | Draw |
The record has stood for nearly three decades and remains the only Test innings to pass 950 runs.
Top 10 Highest Team Scores in Test Cricket
Generally, the largest Test innings require batting for several days, making several centuries and playing on the pitch that will provide some help for scoring. Some of these records were terminated with declarations instead of being completed by the teams.
| Rank | Team | Score | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka | 952/6d | India | 1997 |
| 2 | England | 903/7d | Australia | 1938 |
| 3 | England | 849 | West Indies | 1930 |
| 4 | England | 823/7d | Pakistan | 2024 |
| 5 | West Indies | 790/3d | Pakistan | 1958 |
| 6 | Pakistan | 765/6d | Sri Lanka | 2009 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 760/7d | India | 2009 |
| 8 | India | 759/7d | England | 2016 |
| 9 | Australia | 758/8d | West Indies | 1955 |
| 10 | Sri Lanka | 756/5d | South Africa | 2006 |
The newest entry in top 10 is 823/7 declared made by England against Pakistan in Multan in 2024. Also, India’s 759/7 declared against England in Chennai in 2016 remains the eight highest total ever achieved.
Sri Lanka’s 952/6: How the Record Was Created
Sri Lanka’s 952/6 is not only the highest team total but it is also a great example of sustained batting. Most of the damage was done by Jayasuriya and Mahanama. In particular, Jayasuriya made 340 runs, which was the foundation of the innings, and Mahanama added 225 runs. Their partnership was 576 runs which at that moment was a world record.
After dismissal of Jayasuriya, Mahanama went on with de Silva and other lower-middle-order players and the team finally decided to declare with the score of 952/6. This massive total prevented India from achieving any result in the game, so the Test finished in a draw.
Highest Score in Test Cricket by a Player
The highest score in Test cricket by a player is 400 not out which was made by Brian Lara for West Indies against England in Antigua in 2004. Lara’s 400* is the highest score in men’s Test cricket ever. He batted for 582 balls and scored 43 fours and four sixes. He remained at the crease for a very long time as the West Indies declared the innings at 751/5.
It is worth noting that Lara previously held this record twice. In 1994 he scored 375 against England and in 2003 Matthew Hayden scored 380 for Australia. After that Lara reestablished himself in this record.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest individual Test score | 400* |
| Player | Brian Lara |
| Team | West Indies |
| Opposition | England |
| Venue | Antigua |
| Year | 2004 |
| Balls faced | 582 |
| Fours | 43 |
| Sixes | 4 |
Lara remains the only batter to have held the Test record twice in two separate periods.
Top Individual Scores in Test Cricket
Scoring over 350 runs is really difficult in Test cricket. There have been few batters who have crossed the 350-run barrier. Some of those players are legends of the game, and Wiaan Mulder of South Africa has recently become one of them by scoring 367* against Zimbabwe in 2025.
| Rank | Player | Score | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Lara | 400* | England | 2004 |
| 2 | Matthew Hayden | 380 | Zimbabwe | 2003 |
| 3 | Brian Lara | 375 | England | 1994 |
| 4 | Mahela Jayawardena | 374 | South Africa | 2006 |
| 5 | Wiaan Mulder | 367* | Zimbabwe | 2025 |
| 6 | Garry Sobers | 365* | Pakistan | 1958 |
| 7 | Len Hutton | 364 | Australia | 1938 |
| 8 | Sanath Jayasuriya | 340 | India | 1997 |
| 9 | Hanif Mohammad | 337 | West Indies | 1958 |
| 10 | Don Bradman | 334 | England | 1930 |
The score of 367* of Mulder is really important in the sense that it has placed him at fifth position in the list of all-time scores. He could have chased Brian Lara’s score of 400, but South Africa declared their innings at 626/5.
Brian Lara’s 400 Not Out
While the score of 400 was not just a big individual score, it also came in the second time that Lara had reclaimed the record of the highest individual Test innings. He had surpassed Hayden’s 380 by hitting a lot in the innings and going past 390. His innings ended not due to his dismissal but due to the declaration by West Indies at 751/5.
Thus, the score is also recorded as 400*. It included 43 fours and four sixes and comprised of 582 deliveries.
Who Held the Test Record Before Brian Lara?
There have been many changes in the record in the entire history of Test cricket. Sir Garfield Sobers scored an unbeaten 365 for West Indies against Pakistan in 1958, setting a record which remained in the books for 36 years. Lara broke Sobers’ record in 1994 by scoring 375 against England. Matthew Hayden scored 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003, breaking the record of Lara. After six months, Lara again broke the world record by scoring 400*.
That means Lara is unique in the sense that he is the only player to break the world record of the highest individual Test score two times.
India’s Highest Team Score in Test Cricket
The highest Test team score of India is 759/7 declared which was scored against England in Chennai in 2016. This score was made up of a really high score of Karun Nair, who had made an unbeaten 303 in that innings. KL Rahul had also scored 199, and India declared their innings with that high total.
The score of 759/7 continues to remain the highest team score in the Test history of India, and it figures in the top ten highest team innings in Test cricket.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| India’s highest Test total | 759/7 declared |
| Opposition | England |
| Venue | Chennai |
| Year | 2016 |
| Main scorer | Karun Nair |
| Nair’s score | 303* |
India’s total is particularly notable because it came during a match in which England had also made a substantial first-innings score of 477.
Virat Kohli Highest Score in Test Cricket
The Virat Kohli highest score in Test cricket is 254 not out, scored against South Africa in Pune in 2019. Kohli played 336 balls in the innings, made 33 fours and two sixes, and remained unbeaten when India declared at 601/5. It was Kohli’s seventh double century in the Test format and was higher than his previous best of 243 against Sri Lanka.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli’s highest Test score | 254* |
| Opposition | South Africa |
| Venue | Pune |
| Year | 2019 |
| Balls | 336 |
| Fours | 33 |
| Sixes | 2 |
| Team total | 601/5 declared |
Kohli’s 254* remains his career-best Test innings.
Rohit Sharma Highest Score in Test Cricket
The Rohit Sharma highest score in Test matches is 212, which he made against South Africa in Ranchi in 2019. This score was also Rohit’s first Test match double century, in which he made 212 runs from 255 balls by hitting 28 fours and 6 sixes. Rohit shared a 267 run stand with Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 115 runs. Ultimately, India declared their innings at 497/9.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma’s highest Test score | 212 |
| Opposition | South Africa |
| Venue | Ranchi |
| Year | 2019 |
| Balls | 255 |
| Fours | 28 |
| Sixes | 6 |
| Result | India won by an innings and 202 runs |
It was also a significant achievement by Rohit because he recently began his career as an opener in Test cricket.
Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma: Highest Test Score
Both Kohli and Rohit have scored Test double-centuries, but Kohli’s career-best is higher.
| Player | Highest Test score | Opposition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 254* | South Africa | 2019 |
| Rohit Sharma | 212 | South Africa | 2019 |
Both records came against South Africa in India, although in different Tests and venues.
Why Are 300-Plus Test Scores So Rare?
Test matches provide a batter a lot of time, but getting 300 also demands an excellent combination of factors like concentration, physical fitness, technical ability and conditions of the match. There are lots of things that need to be done, such as enduring the spells of fast bowlers, dealing with spin after some time and staying concentrated for many hours.
Then there is also the aspect of tactics. Sometimes, teams would not prefer to allow the batter to get their milestones because it would be better to declare and provide the bowlers more time to take wickets. This is exactly what happened with Wiaan Mulder in 2025. He remained unbeaten on 367 runs in a match but the team decided to declare as they felt it was more important than Wiaan achieving Lara’s record.
Highest Test Score vs Highest Test Team Total
The terms can be confusing because both can be referred to as “highest score in Test cricket.” The highest test team total is 952/6 declared of Sri Lanka and the highest individual score is 400 not out of Brian Lara.
Team total is the combined total of all batters including the extras while the individual score belongs only to one batter.
| Category | Record | Holder |
|---|---|---|
| Highest team score | 952/6d | Sri Lanka |
| Highest individual score | 400* | Brian Lara |
| India’s highest team score | 759/7d | India |
| Virat Kohli’s highest score | 254* | Virat Kohli |
| Rohit Sharma’s highest score | 212 | Rohit Sharma |
This distinction is important when answering a search query such as highest score in Test cricket.
How Close Has Anyone Come to Lara’s 400?
There have been several big scores from individual batters, but none has come close to Lara’s record so far. The closest one was in 2025, in which Wiaan Mulder scored 367 not out against Zimbabwe. When South Africa declared, Wiaan was just 34 runs short of breaking Lara’s record.
Wiaan Mulder thus became the fifth-highest individual scorer in men’s Test cricket but still, Lara’s record of 400* remains at the top.
Why Is Sri Lanka’s 952/6 Record So Difficult to Break?
Even if the modern game has become much faster, this has not necessarily made it any easier to beat Sri Lanka’s record of 952/6 in a Test match. Teams nowadays may score quickly but they also declare early when they feel that they have scored enough runs to win the match. Spending 250+ overs batting in one innings is a very rare occurrence as well because it provides the opponents with time to recover.
This Sri Lankan team was able to score such a high total because the conditions of the match suited the batting side perfectly.
FAQs
What is the highest score in Test cricket by a team?
Sri Lanka hold the record for the highest team score in Test cricket. They made 952/6 declared against India in Colombo in 1997.
What is the highest individual score in Test cricket?
Brian Lara holds the record with 400 not out for West Indies against England in Antigua in 2004.
What is India’s highest score in Test cricket?
India’s highest men’s Test team total is 759/7 declared against England in Chennai in 2016.
What is Virat Kohli’s highest score in Test cricket?
Virat Kohli’s highest Test score is 254 not out, made against South Africa in Pune in 2019.
What is Rohit Sharma’s highest score in Test cricket?
Rohit Sharma’s highest Test score is 212, made against South Africa in Ranchi in 2019.
Who has the second-highest individual score in Test cricket?
Matthew Hayden has the second-highest individual Test score, with 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003.
Who scored 367 not out in Test cricket?
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder scored 367 not out against Zimbabwe in 2025. It is the highest Test score by a South African batter and ranks fifth on the all-time men’s list.
Conclusion
The highest score in Test cricket by a team is Sri Lanka’s 952/6 declared against India in 1997, a record that has survived for almost three decades. For an individual batter, Brian Lara’s 400 not out against England in 2004 remains the ultimate Test batting record. Matthew Hayden’s 380 and Wiaan Mulder’s 367* are among the closest modern landmarks, but neither has surpassed Lara.
For India, the highest team total is 759/7 declared, while Virat Kohli’s 254* and Rohit Sharma’s 212 are their respective career-best Test innings. Test cricket continues to produce huge scores, but Lara’s 400 and Sri Lanka’s 952 remain two of the hardest records in the format to break.
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