The fastest to 5,000 Test runs – who is India’s lone representative in this top 7?

CS Chiwanza 12 Jul 2025

Australia's Matthew Hayden is among the fastest to reach 5,000 Test runs.

Which batters have been the fastest to 5,000 Test runs?

The 5,000-run mark – especially in record time – is a coveted milestone in Test cricket. There aren’t many batters who have scored 5,000 Test runs in less than 125 innings; the list only has 67 batters.

Thirty of those batters achieved the milestone in less than 110 innings, while a mere 11 did it in fewer than 100 outings.

Below, we list the seven stars who took the least time to reach the milestone.

1. Don Bradman (Australia)

July 1938 vs England
56 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

Australia needed a good reply to England’s first innings total of 223 on a wet and turning surface. The visitors were on 87/2 when Don Bradman walked out to the middle.

The Australian captain conjured a 41-run third-wicket partnership with Ben Barnett that was followed by a procession of wickets.

None of the batters that came after Barnett’s dismissal got to 14 runs. Bradman farmed the strike as he battled his way to a century, 103 from 184 balls. The ton lifted Australia to 242 and a 19-run lead.

The milestone got him close to the 5000-run mark, and he completed the tally with 16 from 31 in the second innings.

2. Jack Hobbs (England)

March 1929 vs Australia
91 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

England was trailing 3-1 with the Ashes already lost, but wanted to end the series on a positive note. So, when Hobbs, the England captain, won the toss, he elected to bat first. He wanted his side to mount an imposing first innings total.

Hobbs held fort at the top of the order and was part of three partnerships worth more than 50 runs each on his way to an impressive 142 from 301 balls.

Hobbs’ total at the top helped England reach 519. Not only that, Hobbs’ century was the 15th of his career, and it also saw him pass the 5000-run mark.

Also read: England openers’ Test records at Lord’s since 2020: The context amid Zak Crawley’s struggles

3. Garry Sobers (West Indies)

August 1966 vs England
95 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

Sobers had moments when he was a nightmare for the opposition, and one of those moments was August 1966. The mercurial left-hander arrived in England as the West Indies captain and led the visitors with great aplomb. The West Indies arrived at the fourth Test leading 2-0.

They were on 154/4 when Sobers walked out to bat, and he put the England bowlers to the sword. The West Indies captain played with freedom and scored 100 runs in the period between lunch and tea.

This was his seventeenth Test century, his seventh against England and his third of the series.

Sobers scored 174 from 260 balls to lead West Indies to 500/9d. The tally took him beyond 5000 Test runs. In addition, in this, his eighteenth innings of the tour, he completed his 1,000 for the summer.

4. Sunil Gavaskar (India)

September 1979 vs Australia
95 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

Gavaskar is one of the greatest batters to grace the sport; he is one of the few players to score more than 10000 Test runs. He racked up 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries in his 16-year career.

Unfortunately for India and Gavaskar, their contest against Australia in Bengaluru in September 1979 was not one of his greatest outings. Australia, who had won the toss and elected to bat first, had managed 333.

Gavaskar opened the batting with Chetan Chauhan, but only stayed in the middle for 45 minutes, in which time he contributed 10 runs to India’s start.

Gavaskar’s runs were a drop in the ocean. India replied with 457/5d. However, they were enough to see him pass 5000 Test runs.

India cricket fans can see all the latest domestic and international cricket matches using betting apps.

5. Viv Richards (West Indies)

June 1984 vs England
95 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

Richards arrived in Birmingham with a stomach bug. His discomfort was evident when he arrived at the crease after England had delivered a one-two punch that left the West Indies on 35/2 after being 33/0 moments earlier.

Richards mistimed a few strokes early on; however, there was no stopping him once he got going.

Richards joined hands with Larry Gomes for a 206-run third-wicket partnership. Richards romped to 117 off 154 balls. This was his seventh hundred against England in fourteen Tests. The knock catapulted him beyond 5000 Test runs.

6. Matthew Hayden (Australia)

July 2004 vs Sri Lanka
95 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

Hayden arrived in Cairns in an unforgiving mood. However, Marvan Atapattu, the Sri Lanka captain, had no idea until it was too late.

Atapattu won the toss and asked Australia to bat first, and the hosts responded with a 255-run opening stand between Hayden and Justin Langer. Hayden scored a brilliant 117.

The Australian opener followed that up with a 132 in the second innings, his 20th Test century. His tally of 249 runs earned him the Player of the Match award and laid the groundwork for him to win the Player of the Series prize too.

Not only that, the twin centuries also saw him pass 5000 Test runs.

7. Wally Hammond (England)

December 1936 vs Australia
97 innings to reach 5,000 Test runs

This was a match where winning the toss mattered. England and Australia did not expect the surface to play well through the five days of the Test. England won the toss and, unsurprisingly, elected to bat first.

However, they did not make good of the conditions early on, losing Arthur Fagg after the opener had scored a mere 11 runs.

Fagg’s dismissal brought Hammond to the crease, and the England superstar dropped anchor as he steered the visitors to 426/6d with an unbeaten 231 from 579 balls.

Hammond’s effort ensured that England batted once to victory by an innings and 22 runs. His double century also catapulted him past the 5000-run mark.