Test cricket is often seen as the purest form of the game, but with the rise of T20 cricket, batting styles have evolved. Even before T20s, some batters were known for their aggressive play.
Today, we’ll look at the Top 10 most explosive innings in Test cricket that shook the cricketing world.
| Rank | Player | Score | Opponent | Venue | Year | Balls Faced | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew Hayden | 380 | Zimbabwe | Perth | 2003 | 437 | 38 | 11 |
| 2 | Brendon McCullum | 302 | India | Wellington | 2014 | 559 | 32 | 4 |
| 3 | Virender Sehwag | 293 | Sri Lanka | Mumbai | 2009 | 254 | 40 | 7 |
| 4 | Virender Sehwag | 195 | Australia | MCG | 2003 | 233 | 25 | 5 |
| 5 | Adam Gilchrist | 149* | Pakistan | Hobart | 1999 | 163 | 13 | 1 |
| 6 | MS Dhoni | 148 | Pakistan | Faisalabad | 2006 | 153 | 19 | 4 |
| 7 | Adam Gilchrist | 102* | England | Perth | 2006 | 57 | 12 | 4 |
| 8 | Ben Stokes | 258 | South Africa | Cape Town | 2016 | 198 | 30 | 11 |
| 9 | Nathan Astle | 222 | England | Christchurch | 2002 | 153 | 28 | 11 |
| 10 | Jonathan Bairstow | 136 | New Zealand | Nottingham | 2022 | 77 | 14 | 7 |
10. Adam Gilchrist – 102* vs England, Perth, 2006
Adam Gilchrist played T20 cricket even before it became popular and well-known. Unfortunately for England, they have faced Gilchrist’s wrath many times, and once again, the wicketkeeper-batsman didn’t go easy on them.
In the 2006 Perth Test, after getting out for zero in the first innings, Gilchrist came back strong, launching an aggressive attack on the English bowlers. The left-hander particularly punished Monty Panesar, smashing 40 runs off 17 balls. He went on to score a century in just 57 balls, hitting 12 fours and four sixes.
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9. Jonathan Bairstow – 136 vs New Zealand, Nottingham, 2022
Chasing 299 runs, England’s Jonathan Bairstow played an explosive innings, scoring 136 runs in just 92 balls. His century came in only 77 balls, the second-fastest in the fourth innings of a Test. His knock featured 14 fours and 7 sixes, helping England chase down their fifth-highest total.
8. Adam Gilchrist – 149* vs Pakistan, Hobart, 1999
With Australia in trouble at 188 for 5, Gilchrist played a stunning knock of 149 not out off 163 balls, hitting 13 fours and 1 six. Along with Justin Langer, he added 238 runs for the sixth wicket, helping Australia chase down one of their highest totals.
7. MS Dhoni – 148 vs Pakistan, Faisalabad, 2006
In just his fifth Test match, MS Dhoni smashed 148 off 153 balls against Pakistan’s strong bowling attack, including Shoaib Akhtar and Danish Kaneria. His aggressive knock included 19 fours and 4 sixes, marking his first Test century.
6. Virender Sehwag – 195 vs Australia, MCG, 2003
Known for his aggressive batting, Sehwag took on Australia’s bowlers in the Boxing Day Test of 2003, scoring 195 runs from 233 balls with 25 fours and 5 sixes. Although India lost the match, Sehwag’s innings stood out for its fearless hitting.
5. Ben Stokes – 258 vs South Africa, Cape Town, 2016
Ben Stokes played a blistering knock of 258 off just 198 balls, including 30 fours and 11 sixes. His double century came off only 163 balls, the second-fastest in Test history. Stokes helped England pass the 600-run mark for the first time since 2011.
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4. Virender Sehwag – 293 vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2009
Sehwag’s devastating 293 off 254 balls against Sri Lanka saw him maintain a strike rate over 100. His innings featured 40 fours and 7 sixes, and he missed out on a well-deserved triple century by just 7 runs.
3. Brendon McCullum – 302 vs India, Wellington, 2014
Facing defeat, McCullum led New Zealand’s fightback with a historic 302, becoming the first Kiwi to score a triple century. His innings took 559 balls, including 32 fours and 4 sixes, and helped save the match.
2. Nathan Astle – 222 vs England, Christchurch, 2002
Astle’s 222 off 168 balls remains the fastest double century in Test history. His knock, filled with 28 fours and 11 sixes, was a display of innovative strokeplay, but it couldn’t prevent a New Zealand loss.
1. Matthew Hayden – 380 vs Zimbabwe, Perth, 2003
Matthew Hayden’s brutal 380-run innings against Zimbabwe was the highest individual score in Test cricket at the time. He hit 38 fours and 11 sixes in an innings that dominated the bowlers completely.
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