Top 5 Current Batsmen With Most Runs In ICC Test Cricket. [2021 Updated list]

ICC Test cricket is the sport’s longest format, and many cricket legends see it as the purest form of the game. It is the highest and most difficult standard in the sport, as it evaluates a player’s physical and mental abilities over five days. National representative teams that have been given Test status by the International Cricket Council participate in Test matches (ICC).

In 1877, Australia and England played their first Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It was conducted between March 15 and March 19, 1877. Australia’s Charles Bannerman, who was born in Kent, faced the first ball from Alfred Shaw and scored the first run, as well as the first hundred, off the next ball. He went on to score 165, his only century in first-class cricket, before retiring injured after George Ulyett smashed one of his fingers. In total, he accounted for 67.3 percent of his team’s total of 245, which remains a record 130 years later. Australia eventually won by a score of 45 runs.

With modern-day players needing to adapt to different formats very quickly, Test cricket has become the hardest version to adapt to. But some of today’s batsmen have transitioned smoothly into the longest form and scored heaps of runs at will. It hardly mattered the class of bowlers they faced or what grounds they played on as the runs flew off their bats for a long time.

Let’s take a look at the Top 5 Current Batsmen With The Most Runs In ICC Test Cricket.

1. Joe Root Is The Current Most Run-scorer in ICC Test cricket, with 8617 runs in 2021.

England’s Test captain Joe Root leads the way, with a significant lead over his competitors. He made his debut against India in 2012, and he played a significant role in England’s historic victory thereby displaying a lot of promise. After being dropped midway through the 2013-14 Ashes series, Joe Root recovered admirably. Since then, the right-handed batsman has established himself as a regular fixture in England’s Test team, with their unstable top-order frequently paving the way for the Yorkshire batsman to shine and come to the rescue.

Root has 8617 runs at 49.24 in 103 Tests, with 20 centuries. The 30-year-old man has frequently been chastised for his low conversion rate and is currently the only batsman among the fab four with a Test average of less than 50. However, it is important to remember that Root became the first skipper in 84 years in 2021 to record three 150-plus scores in a Test in a row.

Joe Root Profile-ICC Batting & Bowling Career Stats.

Batting Career Stats.

Format	M	Inn	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100	200	50	4s	6s
Test	103	189	13	8617	254	48.96	15681	54.95	20	5	49	950	25
ODI	149	140	21	5962	133	50.1	6860	86.91	16	0	33	482	44
T20I	32	30	5	893	90	35.72	707	126.31	0	0	5	92	16

Bowling Stats.

Format	M	Inn	B	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Econ	Avg	SR	5W	10W
Test	103	95	3079	1604	37	5/8	5/33	3.13	43.35	83.22	1	0
ODI	149	68	1552	1490	26	3/52	3/52	5.76	57.31	59.69	0	0
T20I	32	9	84	139	6	2/9	2/9	9.93	23.17	14.0	0	0

2. Steven Smith Is The 2nd Current Most Run-scorer in ICC Test cricket, with 7540 runs in 2021.

Steve Smith has evolved from a potential replacement for Shane Warne as a leg-spinner to the best Test batsman of this era. Only a few players have achieved Steve Smith’s level of consistency in whites, as he has carried Australia’s hopes in Test cricket for many years. Smith, who is currently ranked second in Tests, averages a stunning 61.80 – only Don Bradman averages more.

In 2017, the former Australian captain set a career-highest rating with 939 points, ranking sixth in the longest format. In 77 Tests, the 31-year-old Smith has 7540 runs including 27 centuries, with his highest score of 239 against England in Perth. Smith, who has a reputation for playing exceptionally well against Englishmen, will be rolling his eyes when Australia takes on their arch-rivals in Australia later this year.

Smith Batting & Bowling Career Stats.

Batting Career Stats.

Game Type	M	Inn	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100	200	50	4s	6s
Test	77	139	17	7540	239	61.8	13680	55.12	27	3	31	835	43
ODI	128	113	12	4378	164	43.35	4947	88.5	11	0	25	377	42
T20I	45	37	8	794	90	27.38	613	129.53	0	0	4	66	21
IPL	101	91	21	2437	101	34.81	1898	128.4	1	0	11	221	59

Bowling Stats.

Game Type	M	Inn	B	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Econ	Avg	SR	5W	10W
Test	77	54	1381	960	17	3/18	4/83	4.17	56.47	81.24	0	0
ODI	128	40	1076	971	28	3/16	3/16	5.41	34.68	38.43	0	0
T20I	45	17	291	378	17	3/20	3/20	7.79	22.24	17.12	0	0
IPL	101	1	2	5	0	0/5	0/5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0	0

3. Virat Kohli Is The 3rd Current Most Run-scorer in ICC Test cricket, with 7490 runs in 2021.

Indian captain Virat Kohli is one of the most famous and successful run scorers of this era, scoring across all formats consistently. Kohli struggled early in his Test career, the runs began to flow by the end of 2014. Virat Kohli, 32, made his Test debut in 2011, scored his first century in 2012, and now has the joint-most Test tonnes among active batsmen (27).

The right-handed batsman has 7490 runs at 52.37 in 91 Tests, including seven double centuries. Kohli, on the other hand, has been on a century-drought since November 2019, failing to reach triple figures in any of the formats. However, the Delhi-born cricketer will have plenty of chances to break that streak in the coming months and years.

Virat Kohli Batting Records: Total Runs of Virat Kohli in All Format.

Batting Career Stats.

Format	M	Inn	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100	200	50	4s	6s
Test	91	153	10	7490	254	52.38	13112	57.12	27	7	25	839	22
ODI	254	245	39	12169	183	59.07	13061	93.17	43	0	62	1140	126
T20I	89	84	24	3159	94	52.65	2272	139.04	0	0	28	285	90
IPL	199	191	31	6076	113	37.98	4659	130.41	5	0	40	524	205

Bowling Career.

Format	M	Inn	B	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Econ	Avg	SR	5W	10W
Test	91	11	175	84	0	0/0	0/0	2.88	0.0	0.0	0	0
ODI	254	48	641	665	4	1/15	1/15	6.22	166.25	160.25	0	0
T20I	89	12	146	198	4	1/13	1/13	8.14	49.5	36.5	0	0
IPL	199	26	251	368	4	2/25	2/25	8.8	92.0	62.75	0	0

4. Ross Taylor Is The 4th Current Most Run-scorer, with 7380 runs in 2021.

New Zealand cricket team legend Ross Taylor who grew into a highly reliable batsman, makes the list. For more than a decade, Ross Taylor has held New Zealand’s middle-order together in Test and ODI cricket, and he has produced several match-winning knocks. In 2020, the 37-year-old will have surpassed Stephen Fleming’s total of 7172 Test runs to become New Zealand’s all-time leading run-getter.

Taylor has 7380 runs in 105 Tests, averaging 45.83 and smashing 19 centuries. The right-handed batsman’s best score of 290 came against Australia in 2015 at the WACA in Perth. The veteran has stated that he has no intention of retiring anytime soon and will be seen in action next month when New Zealand takes on India and England.

Ross Taylor Batting & Bowling Career Stats.

Batting Career Summary

Game Type	M	Inn	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100	200	50	4s	6s
Test	105	183	20	7380	290	45.28	12339	59.81	19	3	34	898	53
ODI	233	217	39	8576	181	48.18	10288	83.36	21	0	51	711	146
T20I	102	94	19	1909	63	25.45	1560	122.37	0	0	7	122	71
IPL	55	54	14	1017	81	25.43	822	123.72	0	0	3	66	46

Bowling Career Summary

Game Type	M	Inn	B	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Econ	Avg	SR	5W	10W
Test	105	7	96	48	2	2/4	2/4	3.0	24.0	48.0	0	0
ODI	233	6	42	35	0	0/0	0/0	5.0	0.0	0.0	0	0
T20I	102	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
IPL	55	2	12	24	0	0/11	0/11	12.0	0.0	0.0	0	0

5. David Warner Is The 5th Current Most Run-scorer, with 7311 runs in 2021.

Australian opener David Warner is another swashbuckling opener who often plays against the flow of the game. David Warner made his Test debut in 2011 and has since delivered consistent performances, with a particularly impressive record at home. The left-hander is also the last Test batsman to score a triple century.

In 86 games with 24 centuries, the 33-year-old warner averages 48.09 with a healthy strike rate of 72.68. Warner’s best score of 335 * came against Pakistan in 2019 at the Adelaide Oval. With the Ashes series, which consists of five Tests, set to take place in Australia later this year, the New South Wales batsman hopes to overcome his recent hot and cold run in the whites.

Warner Batting & Bowling Career Stats.

Batting Career Stats.

Format	M	Inn	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100	200	50	4s	6s
Test	86	159	7	7311	335	48.1	10058	72.69	24	2	30	859	56
ODI	128	126	5	5455	179	45.08	5710	95.53	18	0	23	571	85
T20I	81	81	9	2265	100	31.46	1621	139.73	1	0	18	219	89
IPL	148	148	19	5447	126	42.22	3887	140.13	4	0	50	526	200

Bowling Career.

Format	M	Inn	B	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Econ	Avg	SR	5W	10W
Test	86	19	342	269	4	2/45	2/45	4.72	67.25	85.5	0	0
ODI	128	1	6	8	0	0/8	0/8	8.0	0.0	0.0	0	0
T20I	81	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
IPL	148	1	1	2	0	0/2	0/2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0	0