Greatest Run Scorers in Cricket History

27/05/2025

Greatest Run Scorers in Cricket History.

Many cricketers have scored thousands of runs and left a strong mark on the game. Some names keep coming up because of how many runs they scored in their careers. These players stayed consistent for many years and helped their teams in big moments. This article looks at the top run scorers in cricket across all main formats.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most famous cricketers in the world. He played for India for more than 20 years. Many people believe he is the greatest batsman in cricket history. He started playing international cricket when he was only 16 years old.

Tendulkar scored more runs than anyone else. In Test matches, he scored 15,921 runs. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he scored 18,426 runs. He was the first player to reach 10,000 ODI runs, and he crossed every 1,000-run milestone after that. In 2010, he became the first man to score 200 runs in a single ODI match.

He also scored 100 international centuries. No one else has done that. Tendulkar played well in big matches and stayed consistent for many years. In World Cups, he scored the most runs in 1996 and 2003. In both tournaments, he helped India reach important stages.

Many fans saw him as a hero. Even outside India, he was respected. In Australia, for example, crowds often cheered for him. One famous quote by his fans is: “Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my God”.

He also played many long partnerships. With Rahul Dravid, he scored nearly 7,000 runs in Tests. They are the most successful batting pair in Test cricket history.

After cricket, Tendulkar became a member of India’s parliament from 2012 to 2018. His name still appears at the top of many records. People still talk about his achievements today.

KC Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara was born on 27 October 1977 in Matale, Sri Lanka. He played for the national team from 2000 to 2015. He also captained the team in all three formats. In domestic cricket, he played for Nondescripts Cricket Club and later for Surrey in England.

He batted left-handed. He worked as a wicket-keeper in most matches. He scored a lot of runs in all formats of the game. In total, he made 28,016 runs in international matches. He reached 63 centuries across formats. In Test matches, he scored 38 hundreds, which is the most for a Sri Lankan player. His Test average was 57.40. In One-Day Internationals, he made over 13,000 runs and scored 25 centuries.

Sangakkara also kept the wickets. He holds the record for the most dismissals in ODIs. He made 482 dismissals—383 catches and 99 stumpings. In World Cup matches, he dismissed 54 players in 37 games. This is the highest by any wicket-keeper in the tournament.

After he retired, many people praised him. Virat Kohli said Sangakkara was a good man and a great player. Angelo Mathews said he was the strongest part of their team. In 2021, Sangakkara was added to the ICC Hall of Fame. He became the second player from Sri Lanka to receive this honour, after Muttiah Muralitharan.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli was born on 5 November 1988. He plays for India in Test and ODI cricket. He also captained the Indian team in all formats. Kohli is a right-handed batsman and sometimes bowls medium pace. He is known as "the king", "the chase master", and "the run machine" because of his playing style, records, and ability to help his team win. Kohli has scored the most runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is also the third-highest run-scorer in T20Is, ODIs, and all international cricket.

Kohli is one of the best batsmen ever. He holds the record for the most centuries in ODIs and has the second most centuries in international cricket. He is considered the best Test captain India has had. During his time as captain, India won the most Test matches and three consecutive ICC Test Mace awards.

In 2008, Kohli captained the Indian U19 team to win the World Cup. He was also part of the teams that won the 2011 ODI World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy, 2024 T20 World Cup, and 2025 Champions Trophy. He plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL and for Delhi in domestic cricket.

Kohli reached the number one ranking in ODI batting in 2013. He also topped the T20I rankings in 2015 and Test rankings in 2018. He is the only Indian to hold the number one spot in all three formats. He was the first cricketer to score 20,000 runs in one decade. Kohli was named the Cricketer of the Decade for 2011 to 2020.

Kohli has won 10 ICC awards. He is the most awarded player in international cricket. He won the ODI Player of the Year award four times (2012, 2017, 2018, and 2023). He also won Cricketer of the Year in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, Kohli became the first player to win all three major awards (Cricketer of the Year, ODI Player of the Year, and Test Player of the Year) in the same year. In 2019, he received the Spirit of Cricket Award. In 2020, he was named ODI Cricketer of the Decade and Cricketer of the Decade. Kohli was the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for three years in a row.

RT Ponting

Ricky Ponting was born on December 19, 1974. He is a former Australian cricketer and now works as a coach and commentator. Many consider him one of the best batsmen in cricket history. He holds the record for the most successful captain in international cricket, with 220 wins in 324 matches. His winning rate is 67.91%. Ponting is also known for hitting the third-highest number of centuries in international cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Ponting led Australia to victory in the 2003 and 2007 Cricket World Cups. He also won the 2006 and 2009 ICC Champions Trophies. He was part of the 1999 Cricket World Cup-winning team under Steve Waugh. Domestically, Ponting played for Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s domestic competitions, including the Big Bash League.

Ponting played in 100 Test victories, more than any other cricketer. He also holds the record for the most wins in ODIs as a player. He became known as "Cricketer of the Decade 2000" and joined the ICC Hall of Fame in 2018.

Ponting led Australia to a 5–0 Ashes win. He was also the captain during a time when Australia dominated world cricket. His leadership helped the team win many major titles. He has received several prestigious awards, such as the Wisden Cricketer of the Year and the Allan Border Medal.

After retiring from playing, Ponting started coaching. He is now the assistant coach of the Australian national men’s cricket team.

DPMD Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene, born on May 27, 1977, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He is known as one of Sri Lanka's best batsmen. Jayawardene captained the Sri Lankan team and led them to win the 2008 Asia Cup.

He was the first Sri Lankan to score over 10,000 Test runs. Jayawardene is also the second Sri Lankan after Sanath Jayasuriya to score more than 10,000 runs in ODIs. His highest Test score is 374 runs against South Africa, the highest score by a right-handed batsman in Test history.

In the 2010 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Jayawardene became the first Sri Lankan to score a century in the tournament. He scored 100 runs against Zimbabwe. He also helped Sri Lanka reach the finals of the 2007 and 2011 Cricket World Cups. In 2014, he was part of the team that won the ICC World Twenty20.

Jayawardene is known for his fielding skills, especially his ability to run out batsmen in ODIs. In 2006, he was named the ICC Best International Captain of the Year. In 2007, he was nominated as the Best Test Player of the Year.

After retiring from cricket, Jayawardene worked as a commentator and serves on the board of several companies. He has also been critical of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, especially after 2015, when the national team’s performance declined.

In 2021, Jayawardene was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He became the third Sri Lankan after Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara to receive this honor.

Conclusion

The best run-scorers in cricket history have achieved great records through skill and hard work. Players like Tendulkar, Kohli, Sangakkara, and Jayawardene are known for their ability to score big runs and perform well under pressure. Their records have inspired many cricketers and will be remembered for years. These players have greatly shaped the game of cricket.