Test cricket, the longest and most demanding format of the game, is the ultimate stage for a batsman. It’s where legends are forged, not just by scoring runs, but by scoring them when it matters most. An innings is not just a number; it’s a story of courage, skill, pressure, and context.
Choosing the ten greatest Test innings ever is incredibly difficult, as every great knock has its own unique tale. Our 2025 updated list considers the match situation, the quality of the opposition’s bowling, the condition of the pitch, and the sheer impact of the performance on the game and its history.
Top 10 Greatest Test Innings Of All Time
Let’s dive into ten timeless innings that have defined Test cricket.
1. Ben Stokes (England) – 135 vs Australia, Headingley, 2019*
This is widely regarded as the greatest Test innings of the modern era, if not all time. Imagine a huge cricket match at Headingley, one of the biggest cricket stadiums in England, where the home team was in big trouble. In their first turn to bat, their whole team got out for a very low score of only 67 runs.
To win the game, they needed to score 359 runs, which seemed impossible. Things got worse, and soon they had lost nine players, with the score at 286 for 9 wickets. With only one player left to get out, they still needed 73 more runs to win.
But then, a player named Ben Stokes started playing like a superhero. He cleverly made sure he faced most of the balls from the very good Australian bowlers. He protected his partner, the last batsman named Jack Leach, keeping him safe. Stokes started an amazing attack, hitting the ball all over the field.
He hit unbelievable shots that no one expected, including a tricky shot called a reverse-sweep that went for a big six runs! In the end, he won the game in a way that felt like a true miracle. It was a wonderful story about never, ever giving up and believing in yourself.
2. Brian Lara (West Indies) – 153 vs Australia, Bridgetown, 1999*
A legendary batsman named Brian Lara stood against what many call the greatest bowling attack in history, featuring the incredible Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
Lara’s team, the West Indies, was chasing 308 runs to win the match but had stumbled into a huge mess, struggling at just 105 runs for 5 wickets. The Australian bowlers were unstoppable, and it seemed certain the West Indies would lose.
Out of this desperate situation, Lara began to play an innings of pure genius. He single-handedly took charge, masterfully batting with the team’s final players, the tailenders, to build a steady score. The pressure was enormous, but his elegant and attacking shots started to break down the mighty Australian attack.
3. Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka) – 153 vs South Africa, Durban, 2019*
This was the innings that created the “Durban Miracle.” An unsung hero produced one of the most shocking and brilliant Test match wins ever.
Sri Lanka, chasing 304, were down and out at 226/9. They still needed 78 runs with only their No. 11 batsman, Vishwa Fernando, for company. The South African pace attack, featuring Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada, was breathing fire.
Kusal Perera did the unthinkable. He trusted his partner and launched a calculated, breathtaking counter-attack. The 78-run last-wicket partnership is the highest ever in a successful fourth-innings chase. Perera’s fearlessness and execution were simply out of this world.
4. VVS Laxman (India) – 281 vs Australia, Kolkata, 2001
This innings didn’t just win a match; it changed the future of Indian cricket forever. It was part of the greatest comeback in Test history.
India was forced to follow-on after being comprehensively outplayed by Steve Waugh’s “unbeatable” Australian side. Australia was on a 16-match winning streak. No one gave India a chance.
VVS Laxman, along with Rahul Dravid, batted for an entire day without losing a wicket. His wristy, elegant, and sublime 281 turned the match on its head. India went on to declare and bowl Australia out to win the match, breaking their streak and instilling a new belief in the Indian team.
5. Don Bradman (Australia) – 270 vs England, Melbourne, 1937
No list is complete without “The Don.” This innings is a masterclass in captaincy and batting on a treacherous pitch.
After declaring his own team’s innings at 200/9 on a “sticky wicket” (a wet pitch drying under the sun, making batting almost impossible), Bradman saw England score 76/9 and declare. Australia was then 97/5 in the second innings.
To protect his main batsmen, Bradman sent his tailenders in first. When the pitch became easier to bat on, he came in at No. 7 and played a flawless innings of 270. It completely changed the game, leading to an incredible 365-run victory for Australia.
6. Graham Gooch (England) – 154 vs West Indies, Headingley, 1991*
Captain Graham Gooch stood like a lone warrior against the most feared fast-bowling quartet in history on a green, seaming pitch.
England was chasing 292 to win against a West Indies side featuring Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Patrick Patterson, and Courtney Walsh. The conditions heavily favoured the bowlers.
Gooch played an innings of immense courage and technical skill. While his teammates struggled, he stood firm, scoring more than 60% of the team’s runs in the second innings. It was a masterclass in bravery and concentration against relentless hostility.
7. Hanif Mohammad (Pakistan) – 337 vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 1958
This is the ultimate match-saving innings. The “Little Master” produced the longest innings in Test history, batting for an unbelievable 970 minutes (over 16 hours).
After West Indies posted a massive 579, Pakistan was bowled out for just 106. Forced to follow-on with a deficit of 473 runs, they had to bat for nearly three days to save the match.
Hanif Mohammad showed superhuman levels of concentration and endurance. He batted through days of cricket to ensure Pakistan drew the match. His 337 remains the highest score ever made in a team’s second innings.
8. Azhar Mahmood (Pakistan) – 132 vs South Africa, Durban, 1998
A young all-rounder walking into a crisis and playing one of the most courageous innings against a fearsome pace attack.
Pakistan had collapsed to a disastrous 89/5 against a South African attack led by Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock in their own backyard.
Azhar Mahmood, on his Test debut, launched a stunning counter-attack. He was fearless, hooking and driving with immense power and skill. His brilliant 132, combined with his later bowling heroics, helped Pakistan dominate the match. It was a performance of true “Pakistani flair.”
9. Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) – 329 vs New Zealand, Lahore, 2002
This was an innings of pure dominance and effortless grace from one of Pakistan’s greatest-ever batsmen.
In the first Test of the series, on a flat Lahore pitch, Pakistan chose to bat first and aimed to bury New Zealand under a mountain of runs.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, with his trademark lazy elegance, completely dismantled the Kiwi bowling attack. He batted for over nine hours in the intense heat to score a magnificent triple-century. It remains the second-highest individual score by a Pakistani batsman and was a perfect display of his immense talent and power.
10. Younis Khan (Pakistan) – 218 vs England, The Oval, 2016
A masterful and defiant innings from a modern Pakistani legend that levelled a crucial series.
Pakistan was trailing 1-2 in the series. In the fourth Test, after a first-innings collapse, they needed a huge score to have any chance of winning and drawing the series. Younis Khan himself was having a poor tour.
At 38 years old, Younis Khan silenced all his critics. He produced a superb double-century, showcasing his trademark grit and excellent technique against the swinging and spinning ball. His innings set up a famous victory for Pakistan, allowing them to draw the series 2-2 and briefly become the No. 1 ranked Test team in the world.
Why is Brian Lara’s 153 often ranked so highly?*
Lara’s 153* is considered near-perfect because it was scored in the fourth innings to win a match by one wicket against the best team in the world, which included two of the greatest bowlers ever, McGrath and Warne. The combination of pressure, opposition, and a thrilling finish makes it legendary.
What is the highest individual score in a Test innings?
The highest individual score is 400 not out, scored by Brian Lara for the West Indies against England in Antigua in 2004.
