Test cricket, the most difficult and respected format of the game, is where batting is put to the true test. It is a format where patience, technique and mental toughness are of paramount importance. Over the years, the Indian cricket team has produced some legendary batsmen who have etched their names in history with spectacular knocks. These individual performances have often contributed to huge team scores, which have showcased India's batting prowess on the global stage. Here, we take a closer look at India's highest runs in Test cricket, which shows the dominance of the Indian test team in the cricket world.
1. 759/7d vs England, Chennai, 2016
This mammoth score is India's highest ever in Test cricket. It came against England in Chennai in 2016, a testament to India's batting depth and determination. Karun Nair's unbeaten triple century (303*) was the highlight of the innings, a perfect blend of controlled aggression and patience. He became the second Indian batsman after Virender Sehwag to achieve this feat. Apart from Nair, KL Rahul also scored a brilliant 199 but unfortunately fell short of his double century by just 1 run. Others who scored were wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel (71), Ravichandran Ashwin (67) and Ravindra Jadeja (51). The mammoth score helped India to a sensational win that highlighted their dominance in home conditions. The Indian Current Team is still very strong and they can break this milestone in upcoming matches. This will be very interesting to see how many days the highest total record will be unbroken.
2. 726/9d vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2009
Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium witnessed a storm of runs in 2009 when India scored 729 runs against Sri Lanka. Virender Sehwag hit a brilliant double century (293) in this match, but unfortunately fell short of his third triple century by just 7 runs. His innings silenced the Sri Lankan bowlers. Apart from him, former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni also scored a brilliant century (100*) while Rahul Dravid (74), Murali Vijay (76), Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman scored valuable runs. With this impressive batting performance, India defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 24 runs.
3. 707 vs Sri Lanka, Colombo, 2010
India's batting prowess was once again on full display in Colombo in 2010. They scored a total of 707 runs against Sri Lanka with the help of centuries from Sachin Tendulkar (203) and Suresh Raina (120). Virender Sehwag missed his century by scoring 99 runs while captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored 76 runs.
India's huge score dwarfed Sri Lanka's 642 runs in the first innings and showed India's ability to play big innings in challenging conditions. The match eventually ended in a draw, but India's batting performance was a testament to their class and consistency.
4. 705/7d vs Australia, Sydney, 2004
The Sydney Cricket Ground has witnessed many memorable batting performances, and India's performance in 2004 was no exception. They scored a total of 705 runs against Australia, thanks to centuries from Sachin Tendulkar (241*) and VVS Laxman (178).
The innings was a great example of India's resilience and determination. They tackled a strong Australian bowling attack, showcasing their skill and temperament. The match was a draw, but India's batting performance was the highlight of the series. Both batsmen scored a lot of runs and left the bowlers starved for wickets.
5. 687/6d vs Bangladesh, Hyderabad, 2017
India's most recent entry on this list came against Bangladesh in Hyderabad in 2017. They scored 687 runs, with Virat Kohli scoring a magnificent double century (204). Murali Vijay (108) and Wriddhiman Saha (106) scored superb hundreds while Cheteshwar Pujara (83) also scored valuable runs. This innings was a testament to the potential of India's modern-day batting. They dominated the Bangladeshi bowlers, showcasing their aggressive approach and ability to score big. India dominated the match to register a comfortable victory and won the match by 208 runs. On that day, the Indian team had a chance to break the highest total score of 759 runs But Captain Virat Kohli declared the innings after Wriddhiman Saha’s century and Ravindra Jadeja’s fifty.