Cricket Batting Records 2026 — Most Runs & Centuries

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All-Time Batting Records in Cricket — The Complete 2026 Guide
Cricket is a batsman's game at its heart. From Sachin Tendulkar's 34,357 international runs to AB de Villiers smashing a century in 31 balls, the sport's history is written in batting milestones that define eras.
This is the definitive reference for every major batting record across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Whether you want to settle a debate, compare legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, or simply enjoy the numbers, every stat you need is right here — updated through early 2026.
Most Runs in International Cricket
The all-time run scoring list is dominated by players who excelled across multiple formats over long careers. Here are the top 10 run scorers in international cricket history. For the complete breakdown across all three formats, see our most runs in international cricket all formats tracker.
| Rank | Player | Country | Matches | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 664 | 34,357 | 45.16 |
| 2 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 594 | 28,016 | 42.35 |
| 3 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 560 | 27,483 | 42.03 |
| 4 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 652 | 25,957 | 35.26 |
| 5 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 519 | 25,534 | 44.36 |
| 6 | Virat Kohli | India | 500+ | 25,000+ | 46+ |
| 7 | Rahul Dravid | India | 509 | 24,208 | 42.52 |
| 8 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 430 | 22,358 | 43.26 |
| 9 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | West Indies | 408 | 20,580 | 44.17 |
| 10 | Inzamam-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 378 | 20,541 | 40.67 |
Who scored 50,000 runs in international cricket? No batsman in history has reached 50,000 international runs. Sachin Tendulkar holds the all-time record with 34,357 runs — still nearly 16,000 short of that mark. Given the demands of modern scheduling and the rise of T20 specialisation, it is extremely unlikely any player will get close to 50,000.
Most Runs in Test Cricket
Test cricket is the ultimate examination of batting ability. Only 14 batsmen have crossed the 10,000-run barrier in the longest format. Our dedicated most runs in Test cricket all-time page lists every batsman who has crossed the 10,000-run mark along with career-span analysis.
| Rank | Player | Country | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 200 | 15,921 | 53.78 | 51 |
| 2 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 168 | 13,378 | 51.85 | 41 |
| 3 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 166 | 13,289 | 55.37 | 45 |
| 4 | Rahul Dravid | India | 164 | 13,288 | 52.31 | 36 |
| 5 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 134 | 12,400 | 57.40 | 38 |
| 6 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 131 | 11,953 | 52.88 | 34 |
| 7 | Alastair Cook | England | 161 | 12,472 | 45.35 | 33 |
| 8 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | West Indies | 164 | 11,867 | 51.37 | 30 |
| 9 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 149 | 11,814 | 49.84 | 34 |
| 10 | Allan Border | Australia | 156 | 11,174 | 50.56 | 27 |
Who scored 10,000 Test runs? Fourteen batsmen have achieved this milestone: Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid, Kumar Sangakkara, Brian Lara, Alastair Cook, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Mahela Jayawardene, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar, Younis Khan, and Joe Root. Root, still active, continues to add to his tally.
Most Runs in ODI Cricket
One-Day International cricket has produced some of the most prolific run machines in history. The top of this list belongs exclusively to Sachin Tendulkar. For a deeper dive into the ODI run-scoring milestone club, visit our most runs in ODI cricket all-time reference.
| Rank | Player | Country | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 463 | 18,426 | 44.83 | 49 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 280+ | 13,800+ | 57+ | 50 |
| 3 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 404 | 14,234 | 41.98 | 25 |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 375 | 13,704 | 42.03 | 30 |
| 5 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 445 | 13,430 | 32.36 | 28 |
| 6 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 448 | 12,650 | 33.37 | 19 |
| 7 | Inzamam-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 378 | 11,739 | 39.52 | 10 |
| 8 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 328 | 11,579 | 44.36 | 17 |
| 9 | Sourav Ganguly | India | 311 | 11,363 | 41.02 | 22 |
| 10 | Rohit Sharma | India | 265 | 10,800+ | 49+ | 31 |
Which players have 14,000 runs in ODI cricket? Only two players have crossed 14,000 ODI runs — Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234). Virat Kohli is approaching this milestone and could become the third player to reach 14,000 ODI runs depending on India's schedule.
Fastest Centuries in Cricket
Speed records fascinate cricket fans like nothing else. Here are the fastest centuries across all three formats.
Fastest Century in ODI Cricket
| Rank | Player | Balls | Against | Year | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AB de Villiers | 31 | West Indies | 2015 | Johannesburg |
| 2 | Corey Anderson | 36 | West Indies | 2014 | Queenstown |
| 3 | Mark Boucher | 44 | Zimbabwe | 2006 | Potchefstroom |
| 4 | Shahid Afridi | 37 | Sri Lanka | 1996 | Nairobi |
| 5 | Abishek Sharma | 46 | Various | 2024 | Various |
Who made 100 in 31 balls? AB de Villiers scored the fastest ODI century in just 31 balls against the West Indies on 18 January 2015 at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. He finished with 149 off 44 balls, hitting 16 sixes and 9 fours in one of the most brutal innings ever played. The full chronological list of fastest ODI hundreds is tracked on our fastest century in ODI cricket page.
Fastest Century in T20I Cricket
| Rank | Player | Balls | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sahil Chauhan | 27 | Maldives | 2024 |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | 35 | Sri Lanka | 2017 |
| 3 | David Miller | 35 | Bangladesh | 2017 |
| 4 | Chris Gayle | 30 | England | 2016 |
| 5 | Aaron Finch | 42 | England | 2013 |
See our fastest century in T20 cricket tracker for the full list including associate nation records, and the fastest 50 in T20 cricket page for half-century speed records.
Fastest Century in Test Cricket
| Rank | Player | Balls | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Stokes | 47 | West Indies | 2022 |
| 2 | Viv Richards | 56 | England | 1986 |
| 3 | Misbah-ul-Haq | 56 | Australia | 2014 |
| 4 | Adam Gilchrist | 57 | England | 2006 |
| 5 | Jack Gregory | 67 | South Africa | 1921 |
Highest Individual Scores
Highest Score in Test Cricket
Brian Lara holds the record for the highest individual score in Test cricket — 400 not out against England in Antigua (2004). He also previously held the record with 375 against the same opposition.
| Rank | Player | Score | Against | Year | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Lara | 400* | England | 2004 | Antigua |
| 2 | Matthew Hayden | 380 | Zimbabwe | 2003 | Perth |
| 3 | Brian Lara | 375 | England | 1994 | Antigua |
| 4 | Virender Sehwag | 319 | South Africa | 2008 | Chennai |
| 5 | Virender Sehwag | 309 | Pakistan | 2004 | Multan |
| 6 | Chris Gayle | 317 | South Africa | 2005 | Antigua |
Who scored 2 triple centuries in Test cricket? Virender Sehwag is the only batsman to score two triple centuries in Test cricket — 309 against Pakistan in Multan (2004) and 319 against South Africa in Chennai (2008). Brian Lara scored 375 and 400* but the 375 is not a triple century in the technical sense since both are separate records. Chris Gayle also scored a triple century (317) but only one.
Highest Score in ODI Cricket
Rohit Sharma holds the record for the highest individual score in ODI cricket — 264 against Sri Lanka in Kolkata (2014). He is also the only player to score three ODI double centuries.
| Rank | Player | Score | Against | Year | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | 264 | Sri Lanka | 2014 | Kolkata |
| 2 | Martin Guptill | 237* | West Indies | 2015 | Wellington |
| 3 | Fakhar Zaman | 210* | Zimbabwe | 2018 | Bulawayo |
| 4 | Rohit Sharma | 209 | Australia | 2013 | Bangalore |
| 5 | Sachin Tendulkar | 200* | South Africa | 2010 | Gwalior |
Who scored 200 runs in ODI cricket? Several batsmen have scored ODI double centuries. Sachin Tendulkar was the first player in history to score 200 in an ODI (200* vs South Africa, 2010). Rohit Sharma holds the record with 264 and has three double centuries (264, 209, and 208*). Martin Guptill (237*) and Fakhar Zaman (210*) are also members of this exclusive club. For every individual 150+ ODI score and the top team totals, see our highest score in ODI cricket — individual and team reference.
Highest Score in T20 International
Who scored 344 in T20? No batsman has scored 344 in a T20 international match. The highest individual T20I score is around 170-175 (Hazratullah Zazai scored 162 for Afghanistan). In domestic franchise T20 cricket, scores above 170 have occurred but 344 has never been achieved by an individual in any professional T20 match. The number 344 may be confused with team totals — some T20 teams have posted scores above 260. For the full leaderboard of T20I run-scoring records, see our most runs in T20 international cricket page.
Most Centuries in International Cricket
Who scored 99 centuries? No batsman has finished their career on exactly 99 international centuries. Sachin Tendulkar holds the all-time record with 100 international centuries — 51 in Test cricket and 49 in ODI cricket. He reached this milestone on 16 March 2012 against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup at Mirpur.
Virat Kohli is the next closest active player, with 80+ international centuries across formats and still adding to his tally. For the full breakdown of century-makers across all formats, visit our most centuries in cricket all formats reference.
| Rank | Player | Test 100s | ODI 100s | T20I 100s | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | 51 | 49 | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | 29 | 50 | 1 | 80+ |
| 3 | Ricky Ponting | 41 | 30 | 0 | 71 |
| 4 | Kumar Sangakkara | 38 | 25 | 0 | 63 |
| 5 | Jacques Kallis | 45 | 17 | 0 | 62 |
| 6 | Hashim Amla | 28 | 27 | 0 | 55 |
| 7 | Mahela Jayawardene | 34 | 19 | 0 | 53 |
| 8 | Brian Lara | 34 | 19 | 0 | 53 |
| 9 | Rohit Sharma | 12 | 31 | 4 | 47+ |
| 10 | Rahul Dravid | 36 | 12 | 0 | 48 |
Most Sixes in International Cricket
The power-hitting revolution has made six-hitting one of the most tracked stats in modern cricket.
| Rank | Player | Country | Tests | ODIs | T20Is | Total 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 127 | 275 | 200+ | 600+ |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 98 | 331 | 124 | 553 |
| 3 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 52 | 351 | 48 | 476 |
| 4 | Martin Guptill | New Zealand | 35 | 173 | 132 | 363 |
| 5 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 107 | 200 | 55 | 398 |
| 6 | MS Dhoni | India | 78 | 229 | 42 | 359 |
| 7 | Virat Kohli | India | 90+ | 150+ | 40+ | 280+ |
| 8 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 75 | 204 | 55 | 334 |
| 9 | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 100 | 149 | 3 | 252 |
| 10 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 31 | 270 | 18 | 319 |
Who hit 6 fours in 6 balls? This question is often confused with hitting six sixes in an over. Herschelle Gibbs famously hit 6 sixes in 6 balls off Daan van Bunge (Netherlands) during the 2007 Cricket World Cup. Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes in an over off Stuart Broad in the 2007 T20 World Cup. As for 6 fours in 6 consecutive deliveries, this has happened multiple times in various matches across formats — it is not attributed to a single iconic moment like the six sixes.
Who Scored 500 Runs in One Match?
No batsman has scored 500 runs in a single match in international cricket. The highest individual Test innings is Brian Lara's 400 not out. Even across both innings of a Test match, no player has accumulated 500 runs.
In first-class cricket, the closest anyone came was Hanif Mohammad of Pakistan, who scored 499 for Karachi against Bahawalpur in 1959 — controversially run out one short of 500. Brian Lara's first-class record is 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994, which remains the highest individual score in any form of first-class cricket.
Who is the fastest ODI batsman? The fastest batsman in ODI cricket in terms of strike rate (minimum 1,000 runs) changes based on the era. Among modern players with significant careers, AB de Villiers (101.09 SR), Glenn Maxwell (125+ SR), and Jos Buttler (118+ SR) stand out. For sheer destructive speed, AB de Villiers' overall ODI career strike rate of 101.09 across 9,577 runs is considered the gold standard.
Cricket Records Deep Dive — Every Leaderboard You Need
Batting is only half of the story. Cricket's record books are filled with run-scoring, format-by-format, bowling, speed, wicketkeeping, tournament, and women's cricket milestones that every fan should know. This is the complete cross-link map of our cricket records library — bookmark it and work through the ones you want.
Run-scoring leaderboards (by format)
- Most runs in international cricket — all formats combined — the definitive Tendulkar-to-Kohli chase and where Root, Williamson, and Smith sit.
- Most runs in Test cricket all-time — the red-ball run-scoring leaderboard with era-adjusted context.
- Most runs in ODI cricket all-time — Tendulkar's 18,426 and the full top 10 in 50-over cricket.
- Most runs in T20 international cricket — Rohit Sharma and the T20I leaderboard.
- Most centuries in cricket — all formats — the 100-hundreds club and the chasers.
- Highest individual score in ODI cricket — Rohit's 264, Guptill's 237*, and every 200+ ODI knock.
Speed and fastest-innings records
- Fastest century in ODI cricket — AB de Villiers' 31-ball blitz and the fastest ODI tons in history.
- Fastest century in T20 cricket — Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma, and the 35-ball-or-less club.
- Fastest fifty in T20 cricket — Yuvraj Singh's 12-ball 50 and the shortest fifties in the game.
- Fastest ball in cricket history — the 161.3 kph Shoaib Akhtar record and the speed gun contenders.
- Fastest bowlers — cricket speed records 2026 — every 150+ kph delivery and the pacers who bowl them.
Bowling and wicket-taking leaderboards
- Most wickets in Test cricket all-time — the complete leaderboard from Muttiah Muralitharan down.
- Most wickets in T20 international cricket — the T20I bowling leaders and the spin-vs-pace split.
Player and tournament records
- Best batsman in the world 2026 rankings — our format-by-format best-batsman analysis.
- Best bowler in the world 2026 rankings — pace and spin leaders going into the 2026 season.
- Best wicketkeepers in cricket records 2026 — dismissal leaders and modern glovemen.
- T20 World Cup winners list all-time — every champion from 2007 onward.
- IPL records all-time stats 2026 — IPL batting, bowling, and team records updated through the 2026 season.
- IPL head-to-head records — complete guide — every team matchup, wins and losses, historical dominance.
Women's cricket records
- Women's cricket records — all-time India — Indian women's team and player records across formats.
- Smriti Mandhana biography, stats, records — the full Mandhana profile with all her format-by-format records.
Each page is updated through early 2026 and cross-linked with our cricket records category hub.
FAQ — Cricket Batting Records
Who scored 50,000 runs in cricket? No player has scored 50,000 international runs. Sachin Tendulkar's 34,357 is the all-time record.
Who scored 10,000 Test runs? Fourteen batsmen have reached 10,000 Test runs. Sachin Tendulkar leads with 15,921, followed by Ponting, Kallis, Dravid, Sangakkara, Cook, Lara, and others.
Who scored 200 runs in ODI? Sachin Tendulkar was the first (200* vs South Africa, 2010). Rohit Sharma holds the record at 264 vs Sri Lanka (2014). Guptill and Fakhar Zaman are also in the club.
Who made 100 runs in 31 balls? AB de Villiers scored the fastest ODI century in 31 balls against West Indies at Johannesburg in 2015.
Who scored 2 triple centuries in Test cricket? Virender Sehwag is the only batsman with two Test triple centuries — 309 vs Pakistan (2004) and 319 vs South Africa (2008).
Who scored 99 centuries? No player finished on 99 centuries. Sachin Tendulkar retired with exactly 100 international centuries.
Who hit 6 fours in 6 balls? Hitting 6 fours in 6 consecutive deliveries has occurred in various matches. The more famous record is Herschelle Gibbs and Yuvraj Singh hitting 6 sixes in an over.
Which players have 14,000 runs in ODI? Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) have crossed 14,000 ODI runs. Virat Kohli is approaching this milestone.
Who is the fastest ODI batsman? By career strike rate with significant runs, AB de Villiers (SR 101.09 across 9,577 runs) is the fastest. Glenn Maxwell and Jos Buttler also have exceptional strike rates.
Who scored 344 in T20? No individual has scored 344 in any T20 match. The highest individual T20I score is around 162 (Hazratullah Zazai for Afghanistan).
Who scored 500 runs in one match? No one in international cricket. Brian Lara's 400* is the highest Test innings. In first-class cricket, Lara scored 501* for Warwickshire in 1994.
Cricket batting records are a living archive that evolves with every series. For more cricket stats and records, check out our all-time IPL records guide and the head-to-head breakdown of Virat Kohli vs Rohit Sharma.
Explore Every Cricket Record by Format
The headline numbers above only scratch the surface. Each format has its own deep history of milestones — from Test marathons to T20 fireworks. Use these dedicated trackers to dive into the specific record you care about:
Test cricket records
- Most runs in Test cricket — all-time list — Tendulkar, Ponting, Kallis and the 13,000+ run club.
- Most wickets in Test cricket — all-time list — Murali, Warne, Kumble and the 600-wicket greats.
ODI cricket records
- Most runs in ODI cricket — all-time leaders — Tendulkar, Sangakkara, Ponting and the 14,000-run club.
- Highest individual & team scores in ODIs — Rohit's 264, Sehwag's 219, and the 491/4 ceiling.
- Fastest century in ODI cricket — AB de Villiers' 31-ball thunder and the rest of the top 10.
T20 cricket records
- Most runs in T20 international cricket — Babar, Kohli, Rohit and the modern openers redefining T20 batting.
- Most wickets in T20 international cricket — Rashid Khan, Shakib and the spin specialists at the top.
- Fastest century in T20 cricket — full records — Chris Gayle's 30-ball blitz and how it has been chased.
- Fastest 50 in T20 cricket — boundary timeline — Yuvraj's 12-ball record and every challenger since.
All-format and combined records
- Most centuries in cricket — all formats — Tendulkar's 100, Kohli closing in, and the all-format century list.
- Most runs in international cricket — all formats combined — the definitive Test + ODI + T20I total run-scorer ranking.
Specialist & speed records
- Fastest ball in cricket history — speed records — Akhtar's 161.3 km/h and the bowlers who came close.
- Best wicketkeepers in cricket — career records — Gilchrist, Boucher, Dhoni and the dismissals leaderboard.
- Best batsman in the world right now — 2026 rankings — current ICC rankings vs analytics-led picks.
- Best bowler in the world right now — 2026 rankings — pace and spin contenders compared.
- T20 World Cup winners list — every champion — every T20I global title from 2007 to 2026.
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Deepak Soni
Expert in: Cricket RecordsCricket analyst and content writer at CricJosh, covering Cricket Records with 76 articles published.



