Players with Most Runs in a Calendar Year in Test Cricket
Test Cricket, in its long, glorious history has produced some incredible performances. The most challenging format has turned numerous players into legends, based on their performances in the longest format of the game.
Batsmen doing well in Tests have been highly rated, as facing challenging conditions over multiple days showcases the technique and mental toughness required for the grueling format. And quite a few have passed the test with flying colors, registering their names in history books with their incredible performances.
In this article, we look at the top 5 players with the most runs in a calendar year in Test cricket:
#5 Sachin Tendulkar (1562 Runs in 2010)
Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has been one of the best to have ever played the game. Over a career spanning 24 years, many records came Sachin’s way, which made him one of the greatest of all time. From the most Test hundreds (51) to the highest Test runs in a career (15,921), Sachin played a very big role in making cricket what it is today in India – a religion. From Australia to the Caribbean, Sachin during his cricketing days conquered the world and secured a place for himself in the history books. And during one of the phases of his glorious career, Sachin was the most prolific run-scorer in a calendar year.
In 2010, Sachin was at his prolific best, scoring 1,562 runs in a calendar year. In the 14 Tests that Sachin played that year, he amassed runs at an average of over 78, which also included 7 hundred and five half-centuries. Although most of his runs in that time were scored in the sub-continent, the unbeaten 111-run knock in Centurion against South Africa was a spectacular performance.
#4 Michael Clarke (1595 Runs in 2012)
An excellent leader and a special batsman, Michael Clarke was phenomenal when he was on song. A Test career average of over 49 is enough to validate his batting prowess, but it was the year 2012 which Clarke made his own, scoring at an unbelievable rate to achieve unprecedented success.
With an average of over 106, Clarke in 2012 scored 1,595 runs to emerge as Australia’s best-ever performance in a calendar year. With 5 big tons and 3 half-centuries, Clarke looked invincible during that phase of his Test career.
#3 Graeme Smith (1656 Runs in 2008)
One of the greatest leaders to have ever captained South Africa on the cricketing field, Graeme Smith was also a top-rated batsman with great skills and technique. On his day, the Protea opener was phenomenal and Smith displayed that aspect of his game on numerous occasions for his side.
But 2008 was a special year in Smith’s career, where his batting prowess took him to unprecedented heights. Scoring 1,656 runs in 15 Tests in a calendar year elevated Smith to the level of a modern-day great.
#2 Viv Richards (1710 Runs in 1976)
The original master blaster, who took West Indies cricket to unprecedented heights in the 70s and 80s, Sir Viv Richards was invincible with a bat in his hand in that era. From making his debut in 1974 to his final Test in 1991, Richards throughout his 17-year long career, gave West Indies innumerable moments to cherish as a batsman and a captain on the cricketing field.
But it was in the year 1976 when Richards showcased his Test batting prowess perhaps to the fullest. That year, Richards played 11 Tests and accumulated 1,710 runs – the second-highest ever in a calendar year. With 7 hundred, which also included two double tons and five fifties, Richards scored runs at an incredible average of 90.
#1 Mohammad Yousuf (1788 Runs in 2006)
The year 2006 was nothing short of a fairy tale for Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf. In that year Yousuf broke and created quite a few distinct records in Test cricket. Yousuf, during his playing days, was considered an extremely dependable batsman who formed the backbone of their batting line-up cricket. But in 2006, the right-hander took his game to a whole new level, aggregating a mind-boggling 1,788 runs over 11 Tests – the highest in a calendar year so far.
Starting from the India series in Lahore where he scored 173, to finishing with a 124 against the West Indies in Karachi, Yousuf turned into a run machine, scoring 9 hundred in the year (the most by a batsman in a year), to go with 3 half-centuries.
