From Sunil Gavaskar to Yashasvi Jaiswal, a look at the players with most runs in a Test series in India.
Scoring runs in India can be a tough task as the pitches at the venues in the subcontinental country help spinners. The tracks get worse and spinners come into the picture from around the 2nd day. However, amidst all the challenges, some batters have shown that run-making is not all that tough even in challenging conditions.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is the latest batter to set an example of how to score runs in heaps in India. In his very first year in international cricket, Jaiswal has made the right noises and has given glimpses into a bright future.
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Batters with most runs in a Test series on Indian soil
Everton Weekes, West Indies, 1948-49
Back in 1948-49, Everton Weekes of the West Indies set the record for the most runs in a bilateral Test series in India. The right-handed batter from St. Michael in Barbados scored 779 runs from 5 matches at an average of 111.28 with 4 hundreds and 2 fifties to his name.
In the 2nd Test of the series at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, Weekes got his top score, although he missed out on a double century. Batting at No.4 in the 1st innings, he made 194 runs with the help of 18 fours. The visitors drew the Test as the series remained at 0-0.
The 3rd Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata was the most memorable for Weekes, who got scores of 162 and 101. Even this time around, his valiant efforts could not help West Indies beat the home team.
Weekes scored his other hundred in the 1st innings of the opening Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. He made 90 runs in the 4th Test at the Madras Cricket Club Ground, Chepauk in Madras.
Sunil Gavaskar, India, 1978-1979
Back in 1978-79, Sunil Gavaskar had a dream outing when West Indies toured India for a bilateral series. He holds the record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a 2-team Test series in India. Gavaskar scored 732 runs from 6 matches at an average of 91.50 with 4 hundreds and 1 fifty to show for his efforts.
Gavaskar got his top score in the 1st innings of the opening Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Opening the batting, the Little Master scored 205 runs from 342 balls with the help of 29 fours and 2 sixes. Gavaskar also made 73 runs in the 2nd innings as the match ended in a draw.
In the 3rd Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Gavaskar made 107 runs in the 1st innings and followed it up with a knock of 182 not out in the second. The match was drawn was India reduced West Indies to 197 for 9 in their second innings. Gavaskar’s other century came in the 5th Test at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi.
Virat Kohli, India, 2016
Back in 2016, Virat Kohli had a stupendous outing in the bilateral series against England. In the 2nd Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Kohli got his top score of 235 runs off 340 balls with 25 fours and a six. On the back of his knock, India gained a lead of 231 runs in their first innings and went on to win the match by an innings and 36 runs.
Kohli made a brilliant start to the series after scoring a hundred at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Batting at No.4, Kohli made 167 runs off 267 balls with 18 fours. He followed it up with a knock of 81 in the 2nd innings as India won by 246 runs.
In the 3rd Test at the SCA Stadium in Rajkot, Kohli scored 89 runs (40 and 49 not out) followed by a 62-run knock in Mohali. He got out cheaply in the 5th Test at the Chepauk. Overall, Kohli hammered 655 runs from 5 matches at an average of 109.16 with 2 hundreds.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, India, 2024
Yashasvi Jaiswal has had a fairytale run in India’s ongoing Test series against England. He is 4th in the series, having scored 655 runs from 4 matches at an average of 93.57 with 2 hundreds and 2 fifties to his name. In fact, he is only 125 runs short of Weekes’ record, which was set back in 1948-49.
In the 1st Test in Hyderabad, Jaiswal got off to a brisk start, but missed out on a century. At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, he scored 80 runs in the 1st innings. From the 2nd Test onwards, Jaiswal upped his game big time and is currently the top run-getter of the series.
In the 1st innings of the Vizag Test, Jaiswal scored 209 runs off 290 balls with 19 fours and 7 sixes. On the back of his knock, India drew level in the 5-match series after winning the Test by 106 runs.
Jaiswal followed it up with a knock of 214 runs in the 3rd Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. The youngster also scored 73 and 37 in the 4th Test at the JSCA Complex in Ranchi.
In this Century, Virat Kohli has scored most runs in a Test series for India – 692.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 29, 2024
Jaiswal needs 38 runs more to break the record. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/VMLHNDzY7P
Clive Lloyd, West Indies, 1974-75
Clive Lloyd had a memorable time when the West Indies toured India for a 5-match series back in 1974-75. In the series, the veteran skipper scored 636 runs at an average of 79.50 with 2 hundreds and 1 fifty to his name.
In the 1st innings of the 5th Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Lloyd scored 242 runs with 19 fours and 4 sixes while batting at No.4. In the second innings, he made 37 as West Indies won the match by 201 runs and the series 3-2.
Lloyd was also impressive in the opening Test at the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium in Bangalore. In the 2nd innings of the match, the left-handed batter scored 163 runs off 149 balls with 22 fours and 2 sixes. The Caribbean team won the match by 267 runs.
