After celebrating the Top 10 Greatest Test Bowlers of all time, it is now time for the batters to take center stage and there have been so many incredible batters who have played test cricket over these last 146 years. The list of batters from each country that played test cricket is enough to make a Top 20 but to narrow it down to 10 is extremely hard but it will be fun to pick the best of the best. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Sunil Gavaskar, Kumar Sangakkara and many more are there

The history of Test cricket is littered with the names of legendary batsmen who have enthralled audiences with their skill and flair. From the elegance of Sir Donald Bradman to the sheer brutality of Sir Vivian Richards, these players have left an indelible mark on the game. But who truly stands out as the greatest Test batsman of all time? This question has been debated for generations, with passionate arguments made for a select few. In this article, we attempt to settle this age-old debate by ranking the top 10 greatest Test batsmen of all time, based on a variety of factors including batting average, runs scored, centuries, and impact on the game.

Let’s look at the Top 10 Greatest Test Batsman of all time

1) Sachin Tendulkar

There is no debate as to who is the greatest test batter of all time and his name is Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar holds almost all the records there are in test cricket. He has played 200 Test Matches in which he has made 15921 runs. He has hit 51 Test Hundreds which is the most in history along with the runs he has scored. He is the first and only batter to hit more than 15000 Test runs. He has an average of 53.79 across 200 matches.

He has numerous test cricket records in his name:

• Most test matches in international career (200)

• Most test runs in career (15921)

• Most test hundreds (51)

• Most fours in test career (2058+)

• Most test fifties in career (119)

• Fastest to 10,000 test runs

Check here Greatest Indian Cricketers of all time

2) Jacques Kallis

The number 2 greatest batter in Test Cricket has to be Jacques Kallis. He is the greatest all rounder in cricket history as well. Jacques Kallis is the greatest batter that has ever played for South Africa. He has played 166 Test Matches and in those Matches he has made 13289 runs at a very good average of 55.37. He has hit 45 Test Hundreds which is the second most in history. Jacques Kallis does not get the kind of respect he should get because he is truly one of a kind.

• Most player of the match awards in test matches (23)

• 3rd most test runs in his career (13289)

• 2nd most test fifties in career (103)

• 2nd most test hundreds in career (45)

3) Ricky Ponting

At number 3 is the Australian great Ricky Ponting, who has been the best batter that Australian cricket has ever seen. He has made over 26,000 international runs across both formats. In Test Cricket he has played 168 Test Matches and he has scored.13378 Runs at an average of 52. He has made 41 Test Hundreds which is the 3rd most in history. Ricky Ponting is also the greatest captain that Australia has seen.

• 3rd most test matches in career (168)

• 2nd most test runs in career (13378)

• 2nd most test fifties in career (103)

• 2nd most consecutive matches as captain of team (73)

• 3rd most test hundreds in career (41)

4) Kumar Sangakkara

At number 4 is Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka. He has a few less runs than some of the other people in the list but the impact and the consistency that he has had throughout his career has put him in at number 4. He has played 134 Test Matches for Sri Lanka and he has made 12400 Runs at a very good average of 57.41. He has scored 38 Test Hundreds in his glorious career. Kumar Sangakkara was the backbone of the Sri Lankan batting.

• Highest fifties in consecutive matches (7)

• 3rd most runs in a match (424)

• 2nd most double hundreds in career (11)

• Fastest to 9000 runs (172 innings)

• Fastest to 10000 runs (195 innings)

• Fastest to 11000 runs (208 innings)

• Fastest to 12000 runs (224 innings)

5) Don Bradman

This list would not be complete without the mention of Don Bradman. He was the original greatest of all time before the people above in this list got ahead in the pecking order. Don Bradman made 6996 runs from just 52 Test Matches and he made 29 Test Hundreds which was a record for a long time. He has a record which will never be broken as he averages an astounding 99.94. Don Bradman was the inspiration for all the batters that came after him. 

• Most runs in a test series (974)

• Most runs in an innings on 7th batting position (270)

• Most runs in a day (309)

• Highest career batting average (99.94)

• Most double hundreds in career (12)

• Joint Most triple hundreds in career (2)

• Most Hundreds in consecutive matches (6)

• Fastest to 2000 runs (22 innings)

• Fastest to 3000 runs (33 innings)

• Fastest to 4000 runs (48 innings)

• Fastest to 5000 runs (56 innings)

• Fastest to 6000 runs (68 innings)

6) Sunil Gavaskar

This list would also not be complete without the name Sunil Gavaskar. He was the original little master and he was the first man to cross the landmark of 10,000 test runs. He played 125 Test Matches for India and he made 10,122 runs at an average of 51.12. He made 34 Test hundreds which was a record at that time. He played without a helmet against the fastest bowlers in the world. Sunil Gavaskar was an inspiration for Sachin Tendulkar who bettered all his records.

• 3rd most runs by a captain in test series (774)

• 3rd fastest to 5000 runs

• First player to reach 10000 run mark in test cricket

7) Brian Lara

Brian Lara is also a name that has to feature in this list. The only man to smash 400* in a test innings and the man to hit 375 as well. Brian Lara played 131 Test Matches for West Indies and he scored 11953 runs at a good average of 52.89. He made 34 Test Hundreds in his glittering Career in Test Cricket. Brian Lara was always in a debate with Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting for the best batter of their generation.

• Most runs in an innings (400*)

• Most runs in an innings by a captain (400*)

• Joint Most triple hundreds in career (2)

• 3rd most fours in test career (1559)

• Fastest to 10000 runs (195 innings)

8) Rahul Dravid

At number 8 is another Indian batter and he has been the Wall of Indian cricket. Rahul Dravid deserves to be in this list because there has rarely been a better number 3 than him. He has played 164 Test Matches and he has made 13288 Test Runs at an average of 52.31. He has also made 36 Test Hundreds in his career and it is the second most made by an Indian in Test Cricket.

• 4th most runs in test career (13288)

• 2nd most fours in test career (1654)

• 1st most nineties in test career (10)

• Most catches in test career (210)

• Most Consecutive matches without a duck (210) 

9) Steve Smith

The greatest test batter of the current generation has to be in this list. He is the standard bearer for all the batters in the Fab 4 of cricket. He has played 102 Test Matches and he has scored  9230 runs so far at an amazing average of 58.62. He has the best average other than Don Bradman while scoring these many runs. He has made 32 Hundreds so far in his Test Career and he still has a few more great years left in him.

• Fastest to 6000 runs (111 innings)

• Fastest to 7000 runs (126 innings)

• Fastest to 8000 runs (151 innings)

• 10th most player of the matches awards

10) Virender Sehwag

At number 10 is the opener who changed the way test cricket is played. There were other players to choose from who had more runs and a better average but the sheer impact that Virender Sehwag has had in Test Cricket is something that cannot be looked past. He played 104 Test Matches for India and he made 8586 Runs for India at an average of 50. However the reason why he is in this list is because he batted at a strike rate of 82.31 in Test Cricket. No one before him had a strike rate close to him. He hit 2 triple hundreds and one Score of 293.

• Joint Most triple hundreds in career (2)

• 3rd most fifties in consecutive matches (11)

Table Representing Top 10 Greatest Test Batsman of all time