A Look at The Highest and Lowest Test Scores of All Teams

Commonly referred to as the purest format of the game, Test cricket truly determines the capabilities of players by testing their skill, prowess, endurance and various other parameters. Also, Test cricket is the format that challenges players to live life off the field and teaches them so many things.

Over the years, all teams have experienced their highs and lows in the toughest format of the game. Cricketbettingtips.io takes a look at the highest and lowest totals of all teams in Test history. For cricket fans who are interested in cricket betting online, we have everything that you’ll need to have an enjoyable cricket betting experience.

Afghanistan

Highest score – 342 vs Bangladesh, 2019

Lowest score – 103 vs India, 2018

The Afghanistan cricket team registered their highest total in Test cricket when they won a Test series against Bangladesh by a whooping 224 runs. The test game was conducted between September 5 and September 9, 2019, at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Bangladesh. Batting first, Afghanistan posted a total of 342 on the scoreboard, their highest in the purest format of the game.

Afghanistan’s opening duo Ibrahim Zadran and Ihsanullah failed to make much of an impact in the game, but their top-order batsman Rahmat Shah and Asghar Afghan aggregated   102 and 92 runs respectively. This was followed by Bangladesh managing only 205 and 173 across the two innings while Afghanistan scored 260 runs in the second innings to confirm their victory.

The lowest score registered by Afghanistan in red-ball cricket was 103. During their 2018 Test tour in India, the Indian team elected to bat first and scored a mammoth 474 runs, all thanks to Murali Vijay’s 105 off 153 balls and Shikhar Dhawan’s 107 off 96 balls. In reply, the Afghans scored only 109 runs and hence, were asked to follow-on. Batting in the second innings, the Indian bowlers again destroyed Afghanistan’s batting line-up and the visitors had to settle on their lowest total of 103.

Australia

Highest score – 758/8d vs West Indies, 1955

Lowest score – 36 vs England, 1902

Australia had dominated the Australia tour of West Indies by winning four of the five matches on the Caribbean soil in 1995. In the fifth match of Test of the series, West Indies registered a total of 357 on the scoreboard in the hope of winning at least a single test in the game. However, the likes of R Archer, K Miller, R Benaud and C Mcdonald completely destroyed the West Indies bowling lineup and declared the innings at 758/8, their highest score in the 5-day format so far. Playing in the second innings, the Caribbean side could only manage 319 runs and thus Australia won the game by an innings and 82 runs.

The instance when the Aussies managed just 36 runs in red-ball cricket happened in a five-match Test series against England in 1902. In the first match of the series, Australia was sent to bowl first and England posted a target of 376 on the board. In reply, the Australian managed just 36 runs as England’s left-arm spinner Wilfred Rhodes accounted for seven scalps in the game.

Bangladesh

Highest score – 638 vs Sri Lanka, 2013

Lowest score – 43 vs West Indies, 2018

 In the first Test of the Bangladesh tour of Sri Lanka at Galle International Stadium, the Lankans opted to bat first and declared the innings by posting a huge total of 570 runs. In reply, the visitors also demolished Sri Lanka’s bowling unit as they scored a mammoth 638 runs, their highest Test total so far. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim scored an impressive double-century, while Mohammad Ashraful and Nasir Hossain accounted for 190 and 100 runs respectively. Playing in the second innings, Sri Lanka managed 335 runs but failed to take all the seven wickets and so the match resulted in a draw.

In the 1st Test of the two-match series against West Indies, Bangladesh had a bad start and went on to post their lowest total of 43 runs in the first innings. This was followed by West Indies registering 406 runs in the first innings while Bangladesh could only manage 144 runs in the second innings. This resulted in West Indies winning the game by an innings and 219 runs.

England

Highest score – 903/7d vs Australia, 1938

Lowest score – 45 vs Australia, 1887

Batting in the first innings of a Test match against Australia in 1938, England’s batting line-up had unnerved the opposition bowlers as they posted a whopping 903 runs on the board. England’s S Hutton played a brilliant knock and amassed 364 runs while M Leyland and J Hardstaff contributed 187 and 169 runs with their bat. In reply, Australia could manage only 201 and 123 runs across the two innings as England’s Bill Bowes and Key Farnes destroyed their batting line up. This resulted in Australia losing the game by an innings and 579 runs.

As with their highest score, England’s lowest Test score also came against Australia. Playing in Sydney, England could post only 45 runs in the first innings as Australia’s JJ Ferris picked 4 wickets and Charlie Tunger had 6 to his name. Surprisingly, England won the match by 13 runs as they went on to score 184 runs in the second innings while Australia managed just 119 and 97 runs across the two innings.

India

Highest score – 759/7d vs England, 2016

Lowest score – 36 vs Australia, 2020

In the last Test of the five-match series against England in 2016, India scripted their name in the record books by scoring their highest total of 759 runs. Opting to bat first in the initial innings, England posted a total of 477 runs on the board. In reply, India’s KL Rahul and Karun Nair produced stellar knocks and accounted for 199 and an unbeaten 303 runs respectively. In the second innings, the Indian bowling side stopped England at the score of 207 as Ravindra Jadeja took 7 scalps in the game. This resulted in India winning the game by a margin of an innings and 75 runs.

Speaking of their lowest totals, India registered their lowest score during Day 3 of the 2020 day-night Test against Australia at Adelaide Oval. In the second innings, India witnessed a huge blow as no batsman was able to post a double-digit score. The Indian batting line-up quickly folded at a score of 36/9 and thus lost the game to Australia by 8 wickets.

Ireland

Highest score – 339 vs PAK, 2018

Lowest score – 38 vs England, 2019

During a lone Test match at Dublin in 2018, Ireland went to post a total of 339 runs on the board, their highest score in the 5-day format of the game. Batting first, Pakistan registered a score of 310 runs on the board. In reply, Ireland managed just 130 runs and thus was asked to follow-on. In the second innings, Ireland’s Kevin O. Brien tried to alter the course of the game by scoring 118 runs off 217 deliveries. However, their bounce back didn’t pay off as Pakistan won the game by 5 wickets.

Playing a Test match against England at Lord’s in 2019, Ireland made an unwanted record of scoring their lowest total in the longest format of the game. Ireland had a good start as they stopped the English men at just 85 runs and registered 207 runs in the first innings. However, England’s Chris Woakes and Stuart Board rattled the opposition batting line up as they took six and four scalps respectively. This resulted in Ireland scoring just 38 runs in the second innings of the game.

New Zealand

Highest score – 715/6d vs Bangladesh, 2019

Lowest score – 26 vs England, 1955

It’s quite hard to beat New Zealand in Test cricket when they’re playing on their home grounds. This once again became evident in a Test game against Bangladesh in 2019 where they posted their highest total of 715 runs in the game. In reply to the 234 runs registered by Bangladesh, captain Kane Williamson played an amazing knock to score a double-century, while opening batsmen Tom Latham and Jeet Raval posted 161 and 132 runs respectively. Bangladesh managed just 429 runs in the second innings and thus the Kiwis won the game by an innings and 52 runs.

Playing a Test match against England at Eden Park in 1955, both New Zealand and England had a decent start as the former registered 200 runs and the latter accounted for 246 runs in the second innings. However, the Kiwis could manage only 246 runs in the second innings and their Bert Sutcliffe was the only batsman to post a double-digit score.

Pakistan

Highest score – 765/6d vs Sri Lanka, 2009

Lowest score – 49 vs South Africa, 2013

Playing at National Stadium in Karachi in February 2009, Sri Lanka dominated the game as they registered a mammoth score of 664 while batting first. However, the Pakistani batsmen also weaved magic on the field and declared the game by posting a total of 765. However, the game resulted in a draw as Pakistan failed to scalp all the ten wickets of Sri Lanka in the second innings.

Speaking of their lowest total, Pakistan registered their lowest score of 49 runs in 2013 against South Africa. With 13 runs, Azhar Ali was the highest run-getter for Pakistan in the game. In the second innings, South Africa scored 268 runs, which helped them in winning the game by 211 runs.

West Indies

Highest score – 790/3d vs PAK, 1958

Lowest score – 47 vs England, 2004

West Indies highest total of 790/3 came in reply to Pakistan’s score of 328 in 1958. Sir Conrad Hunte and Sir Gary Sobers were the wreck-in-chief for West Indies as they played stellar knocks of 260 and 365 runs respectively. The bowling line up of West Indies limited Pakistan to 288 runs in the second innings and thus they won the game by an innings and 174 runs.

The lowest score of 47 was posted by West Indies during the first Test of the four-match series against England in 2014. Playing in Jamaica, both West Indies and England had a decent start as they posted 311 and 339 runs respectively. However, the hosts experienced an embarrassing collapse in the second innings and registered a score of just 47 for 10. As a result, England won the game by 10 runs.  

South Africa

Highest score – 682/6d vs England, 2003

Lowest score – 30 vs England, 1896, 30 vs England, 1924

In a Test match against England at Lord’s in 2003, the South African batting side completely destroyed the opposition bowlers as they posted an impressive total of 682 runs on the board. Africa’s Graeme Smith played an amazing knock of 259 runs while Gary Kristen contributed 108 runs with his bat. This resulted in South Africa winning the tournament by an innings and 92 runs and England could manage just 173 and 417 runs across the two innings.

Playing against England at Port Elizabeth in 1896, South Africa registered their lowest total of 30 as England’s right-arm pacer picked up 8 scalps. The same was repeated by South Africa in 1924 at Edgbaston.

Sri Lanka

Highest score – 952/6d vs India, 1997

Lowest score – 71 vs Pakistan, 1994

Sri Lanka holds the record of scoring the highest total in an innings in the history of Test cricket. In reply to India’s target of 537 runs, Sri Lanka posted a massive total of 952 runs. Sanath Jayasuriya posted a mammoth 340 runs in the game while Roshan Mahanama contributed 225 runs to the totals. However, the game ended up in a draw as both sides didn’t get a chance to play the second innings.

71 is the lowest score ever posted by Sri Lanka in Test cricket. In a test against Pakistan in 1994, Pakistan’s Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram wrecked Sri Lanka’s batting lineup as they accounted for six and four wickets respectively. As a result, Pakistan won the game by an innings and 52 runs.

Zimbabwe

Highest score – 563/9d vs West Indies, 2001

Lowest score – 51 vs New Zealand, 2012

Zimbabwe registered their highest score of 563 runs against West Indies in 2001. Hamilton Masakadza, H Streak and A Blignaut were the architects of this massive score as they posted 119, 83 and 92 runs respectively. However, the match resulted in a draw as Zimbabwe had scored just 131 runs in their first innings.

Zimbabwe’s lowest Test score of 51 runs came against New Zealand in 2012. Batting first, New Zealand posted a massive target of 495 runs on the board. In reply, Zimbabwe wrapped up at a total of 51 runs as Zimbabwe’s batting line up couldn’t face the formidable New Zealand bowlers. The visitors managed only 143 runs in the second innings and lost the game by an innings and 301 runs.