Top 5 Test Run-Getters For India In Tests

Sachin Tendulkar has slammed 15,921 Test runs [X.com]

One of the oldest cricketing nations in the world is India. India forayed into Test cricket in 1932, becoming the sixth country to be granted red-ball status. 

Since then, Team India has produced cricketers of the utmost quality, who with each passing era have transcended the game to greater heights with their skills and talent.

Cricket in India has majorly been a batter-dominated audience, where fans flock in huge numbers to just have a glimpse at their favourite batsmen. India, too, have produced legends like Vinoo Mankad, Vijay Manjrekar, Polly Umrigar, Ajit Wadekar, Mansur Pataudi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli, who have excelled in the art of batsmanship, and elevated the batting skillset to newer heights in their unique yet captivating manner.

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In this article, we list India's Top 5 highest run-getters in Tests, which has a rich history and value attached to it. 

Top 5 Leading Run-Getters For India In Tests

(* - active)

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has the most Test runs in international cricket as well [X.com]

Starting as a child prodigy, Sachin Tendulkar ended his career as one of the greatest batters of all time.

Tendulkar, who also expressed his love for Test cricket, showcased exemplary technique that made him a perfect role model for future batters, which contained both aggression and restraint. 

The batter singlehandedly carried India's thin batting in the late 1990s, before stars like Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman chimed in. 

In a Test career spanning 24 long years, Tendulkar played 200 red-ball games (most) and amassed 15,921 runs with 51 centuries and 65 fifties that came across every available condition and against all types of bowling attacks. 

Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid became known as 'The Wall' for his air-tight technique [X.com]

Rahul Dravid displayed his class in his debut Test itself, scoring a memorable hundred at Lord's, which kickstarted the cricketer's career with a massive boost.

Not the most naturally gifted player, Dravid put in the hard yards behind the scenes, and worked constantly on improving his technique, for which the batter came to be known as 'The Wall'.

The current India coach played a crucial role in helping India win Tests overseas, where the batter scored heavily under testing conditions yet remained overshadowed by Sachin Tendulkar sheer talent.  Between 1996 and 2012, Dravid featured in 13,265 runs with 36 hundred and 63 half-centuries bringing in numerous laurels for the nation. 

Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar became the first Test batter to cross 10,000-run barrier [X.com]

In an era where fast bowlers ruled the roost, India's Sunil Gavaskar blossomed into a batter par excellence. 

Unaided by the modern-day gear, or standard playing conditions, Gavaskar as an opener redefined batting that showcased proper technique and temperament. Known as the original 'Little Master' became a trendsetter in Tests, breaking and rewriting record books, which became when the Mumbai-born became the first cricketer to 10,000 red-ball runs.

Gavaskar's ability to grind in the middle and milk opponents became a major feature of his batting, which saw the legend slam 10,122 runs in 125 Tests, which include 34 tons and 45 fifties between 1971 and 1987. 

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is considered to be a modern-day great [X.com]

Carrying forward India's rich batting legacy, Virat Kohli has set new benchmarks in cricket with his dedication and skills. 

Kohli, who idolises Tendulkar, from his younger days showcased his love for Test, which became quite evident in his early Australia tour. Kohli, over the years, has only enhanced his batting and has become the beckon of peak batsmanship for India, where other players struggle to put bat to ball. 

The main highlight of Kohli's batting is his precise control and command over both aggression and passive style of batting, which can work equally well for pacers and spinners. 

The 35-year-old hunger for runs, and his commitment to the format, sees the batter stockpile 8,790 runs in 112 Tests, which include 29 centuries and 30 half-centuries. 

VVS Laxman

VVS Laxman became known as India's crisis man [X.com]

A magician with his wrists, Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman or VVS Laxman's career started slowly, where the batter was utilised as a floater.

However, with the turn of the 2000s, Laxman found himself slotted behind a stacked top order, where the batter flourished, and mesmerised opponents and fans with his stylish and eloquent style. 

Laxman became India's man of crisis in Tests and knew the art of batting with the lower order, which constituted a huge part of his career. The current NCA director gained a reputation for being a tough nut to crack and batted with grit and determination despite being in situations overwhelming against him. 

In 134 Tests between 1996 and 2012, Laxman bucketed 8,781 runs with 17 hundred and 56 fifties. 

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