England has a rich history in Test cricket. The England cricket team has played Test cricket since the inaugural Test match in 1877. England has played over 1,000 Test matches and has a strong record, with a win-loss ratio of 1.22. Throughout its history, England has produced a number of high-quality batsmen over the years, and several of them have gone on to become some of the most respected and successful players in the history of international cricket. In this article, we discussed the top 10 England test cricketers who scored the most test runs for England in test cricket history.
Most test runs for England in Test Cricket:
Here is the list of who scored the most runs for England in Test Cricket.
- Sir Alastair Cook
- Joe Root
- Graham Gooch
- Alec Stewart
- David Gower
- Kevin Pietersen
- Geoffrey Boycott
- Michael Atherton
- Ian Bell
- Colin Cowdrey
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Best | 50s | 100s |
| A Cook | 161 | 291 | 12472 | 45.35 | 294 | 57 | 33 |
| J Root | 126 | 232 | 10629 | 49.66 | 254 | 55 | 28 |
| G Gooch | 118 | 215 | 8900 | 42.58 | 333 | 46 | 20 |
| A Stewart | 133 | 235 | 8463 | 39.54 | 190 | 45 | 15 |
| D Gower | 117 | 204 | 8231 | 44.25 | 215 | 39 | 18 |
| K Pietersen | 104 | 181 | 8181 | 47.28 | 227 | 35 | 23 |
| G Boycott | 108 | 193 | 8114 | 47.72 | 246* | 42 | 22 |
| M Atherton | 115 | 212 | 7728 | 37.69 | 185* | 46 | 16 |
| I Bell | 108 | 205 | 7727 | 42.69 | 235 | 46 | 22 |
| M Cowdrey | 114 | 188 | 7624 | 44.06 | 182 | 38 | 22 |
All Stats source from Cricinfo. Further see to click this Cricinfo
1. Sir Alastair Cook:
Former England captain Alastair Cook is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. He made his debut for England in 2006 and went on to play 161 Test matches, scoring a total of 12,472 runs with an average of 45.35. He has scored 30(100s) and 57 (50s) in test cricket. Cook is the leading run-scorer for England in Test cricket and is also the youngest player to reach 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, and 12,000 Test runs.
Cook holds several records for England, including the most Test centuries (33) and the most Test appearances (161). He is the captain of the England team in 2012 and led the team to victory in the 2013-14 Ashes series against Australia. In addition to his impressive record as a batter, Cook is also known for his leadership skills and was a key member of the England team during his tenure as captain.
Cook was awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2019 for his services to cricket. Cook is the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket and became the highest Test run-scorer among left-handers, overtaking Kumar Sangakkara record of 12,400 runs. He became only the fifth batsman to score centuries in his first and last Test match.
2. Joe Root:
Joe root is the second-highest run-scorer in test cricket for England behind Alastair cook. He has scored 10629 runs in test cricket and has an impressive average of 49.43. Root has also scored 28 centuries 55 fifties and in test cricket, including a career-best 254 against Pakistan in 2016. Root made his Test debut in 2012. He is the former Captain of the England Test Team and holds the record for most Test matches as captain (64).
Joe root is the sixth player to make a century on his test captain debut. He is the first English captain to win a test series in Sri Lanka since 2001. This was the first away test series win as captain. In celebration of England’s 1000th test, Root was named in England’s greatest All-Time Test XI. In June 2022 Joe Root is the 2nd English batsman and 14th overall to score 10000 runs in Test Cricket.
3. Graham Gooch:
Graham Gooch is the third-highest run-scorer in Test cricket for England. Gooch made his debut for England in 1975 and continued to play in 118 Test matches, scoring 8,900 runs at an average of 42.58. Gooch has scored 20(100s) and 46 (50s) in test cricket. He became the highest run-scorer in first-class and limited-overs games with 67,057 runs.
He was the first player to play 20 Tests at Lord’s. It is the second-highest score by an English batsman in Test cricket history after his 330 runs against India at Lord’s in 1990. He is also one of the English batsmen to score over 100 first-class centuries, and his total of 128 centuries is a record for a Sussex batsman. After retiring from playing, he moved on to become a successful coach and has worked with the England team and several county cricket clubs.
4. Alec Stewart:
Alec Stewart is a former English cricketer who played for the England cricket team as a right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper. Stewart is the fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket for England. AJ Stewart made his debut for England in 1990 and continued to play in 133 Test matches, scoring 8,463 runs at an average of 39.54.
He has scored 15(100s) and 45 (50s) in test cricket. He is the Fourth most capped English cricketer of all time, having represented England in 133 Test matches. His aggressive batting and excellent glove work behind the stumps made him one of the most successful wicketkeepers in English cricket history.
Also Read: Who is Omar Meziane, the chef of England cricket team?
5. David Gower:
David Gower is a Former English captain, Commentator who also played for Leicestershire County Cricket Club. He was a left-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler and played 117 Test matches for England. In Test cricket, Gower scored 8,231 runs at an average of 44.25 and scored 18 centuries and 39 fifties. He made his Test debut for England in 1978 against the West Indies and played his final Test match in 1992 against Pakistan. During his Test career, Gower scored runs all around the world and was known for his graceful and stylish stroke play. He was also a fine slip fielder.
6. Kevin Pietersen:
Kevin Pietersen is the sixth leading run score for England. Pietersen is a right-handed batsman and occasional off-spin bowler. He is one of the most talented batsmen of his generation and is known for his aggressive style of play. Kevin made his Test debut for England in 2005 and played for the national team until 2014, scoring over 8,181 runs in 104 Test matches.
He has scored 23 centuries and 35 fifties in test cricket. KP scored the second most runs in his first 25 Tests, behind only Sir Don Bradman of Australia. 4th English player to top score in both innings of his Test debut. Despite his success on the field, Pietersen’s career was not without controversy, and he had a tumultuous relationship with the England Cricket Board and some of his teammates.
7. Geoffrey Boycott:
Geoffrey Boycott is a former English cricketer and cricket commentator. He played for Yorkshire and England and is widely regarded as one of the greatest opening batsmen in the history of cricket. In a Test match, Boycott made his debut in 1964 against Australia. Boycott played 108 Test matches for England, scoring 8,114 runs at an average of 47.72, including 22 centuries and 42 fifties. He was known for his ability to occupy the crease and became a key feature of England’s Test batting line-up.
After retiring from playing cricket, Boycott became a commentator and has worked for several broadcasters, including BBC and Cricinfo.
8. Michael Atherton:
Michael Atherton is a former English cricketer who played for Lancashire and England. Atherton was a right-handed batsman who batted in the opening position for most of his career. Atherton often played the role of an anchor at that time when England’s batting performances lacked consistency. He made his Test debut for England in 1989 and played 115 Test matches for his country, scoring 7,728 runs at an average of 37.69. He has scored 16 centuries and 46 fifties. Atherton captained England in a record 54 Test matches at that time. He retired from international cricket in 2001 and has since worked as a cricket commentator and writer.
9. Ian Bell:
Ian Bell is a former English cricketer who played for the England national team and Warwickshire County Cricket Club. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler. Bell made his debut for the England team in 2004 and played more than 118 Test matches. In Test cricket, Bell scored 7,727 runs at an average of 42.69 and scored 22 centuries and 46 fifties.
He was also known for his quick reflexes and would often land in close catching positions. Bell is one of England’s most talented batters of his generation and was a key member of the team that won the 2010-11 Ashes series against Australia.
Also Read: 5 Successful Test captains of Pakistan cricket team
10. Colin Cowdrey:
Colin Cowdrey, also known as Baron Cowdrey of Ton bridge, was a former English cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club and the England national cricket team. Cowdrey was born on December 24, 1932, in Ootacamund, India, and grew up in England. He played for England in 114 Test matches between 1954 and 1975, captaining the team on 27 occasions. He scored 7,624 runs at an average of 44.06, overtaking Wally Hammond as the most successful Test batsman. Cowdrey was the first batsman to score centuries against six other Test-playing nations of his era. Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, West indies and South Africa. His batting style was elegant and stylish, and he scored over 100 first-class hundreds. Â He passed away on December 4, 2000, at the age of 67.
Questions
Who has scored the most test runs for England?
Sir Alastair Cook is the leading run-scorer for England in Test cricket. He made his debut for England in 2006 and went on to play 161 Test matches, scoring a total of 12,472 runs with an average of 45.35. He has scored 30(100s) and 57 (50s) in test cricket.
Who has scored the most test hundreds for England?
Cook holds several records for England, including the most Test centuries (33) and the most Test appearances (161).
Who has scored the most test Wickets for England?
James Anderson is the leading wicket taker(675) for England in test cricket.