The Best Test Cricket Players the World Has Ever Seen

It is a very known fact that cricket enjoys immense popularity around the globe, especially in the Indian subcontinent. Hardcore fans of the sport follow all tournaments and leagues very closely since doing so allows them to enjoy the game to the fullest. And, thus choosing the best test cricket players among all the greats will always be controversial and will have some fingers raised as well.

Besides this, they also love playing fantasy games using the latest fantasy cricket app, performing numerous similar activities that offer them a more immersive experience of the sport. Besides all its exciting features, cricket also features multiple interesting formats, further adding to its credibility as a sport.

Out of the three formats, namely test cricket, ODIs, and T20s, test cricket is the most challenging for players, mainly because test matches feature multiple innings and last longer than matches of other formats. In the format's history, many players have proved themselves as top-tier cricketers by being exceptional in test matches. Here is a look at some of the best test cricket players that the world has ever seen:

● Sachin Tendulkar (India)

There are multiple reasons why millions of people hailed Sachin Tendulkar as the "God of Cricket" even today. One of the reasons is his fantastic run over the years in test cricket. Master Blaster's career started in 1989 and ended in 2013, and between the span of 24 years, Tendulkar was a part of 200 test matches and 329 innings.

He is the only batsman in the world who has 15921 runs in total. His highest score is 248 runs (not out). Besides holding the record for scoring the maximum number of runs, he also holds the record for scoring the most centuries in test cricket, i.e.51. He has a stellar test cricket average of 53.78, a figure that not even the most prominent cricketers of today's generation have been able to achieve.

Sachin Tendulkar was, is, and will always remain one of the, if not the greatest, cricket that the world has ever seen. Although it has almost been a decade since he retired, many records that he established remain untouched today.

● Ricky Ponting (Australia)

The name of Ricky Ponting is etched in history books as one of the best test cricket batsmen of all time, thanks to his solid test cricket stats. In terms of his overall test career statistics, Ponting has been a part of 168 matches and has scored a total of 13378 runs. The ex-Australian skipper's test average stands at a remarkable rate of 51.85.

His highest test score is 257, which is another respectable feat that only a few other cricketers have been able to achieve. Besides being a menace in test cricket matches, Ponting also led his team very smartly, which is why Australia, under his leadership, was highly feared by their opponents.

● Jacques Kallis (South Africa)

Jacques Kallis started his international career in 1995 and worked hard to become one of the best test players of all time. Kallis has been a part of 166 test matches and played 280 innings. In terms of total runs scored, Kallis' figure stands a little below that of Ponting, i.e., 13289 runs.

Compared to Tendulkar and Ponting, Kallis has a better average, i.e., 55.37 runs. When it comes to centuries, the ex-South African batsman has 45 centuries under his belt, which makes him the second player, after Sachin Tendulkar, to have the most centuries.

Although Jacques Kallis has been a phenomenal player across all three primary cricket formats, his achievements in test cricket surpass all his accolades in the other formats. This makes him one of the best test players of all time.

● Rahul Dravid (India)

Rahul Dravid is another Indian on the list of the best test players ever, thanks to his remarkable skills as a test cricket batsman. Dravid was and is still referred to as "The Wall," mainly because bowlers had a hard time clinching his wicket during test matches.

In terms of statistics, Rahul Dravid's on-field achievements speak for themselves. Dravid has been a part of 164 matches and 286 innings. He has scored a total of 12388 runs with a solid average of 52.31. Coming to his centuries, Dravid has surpassed the 99-run mark 36 times in total. Tons of aspiring cricketers all around the globe, especially those who wish to become top-tier test cricket players, see Dravid as an inspirational figure.

● Alastair Cook (England)

England has always been one of the best test cricket teams in the world, mainly because of the presence of competent players like Alastair Cook. Compared to the other names mentioned on the list, Cook started his career pretty late, i.e., in 2006, but still managed to become one of the best test players of all time, thanks to his exceptional skills.

Throughout his career, Cook has participated in 161 matches and 291 innings. He has scored a total of 12472 runs. His highest-ever test score stands at 294, and his average at 45.35 runs. In terms of test centuries, he has 33 under his belt. To conclude, Alastair Cook, thanks to his exceptional skills, managed to carve out a name for himself in the history books by being an excellent test cricket player.

Conclusion:

All the players mentioned above became the greatest test players of all time thanks to their skills, dedication, hard work, and perseverance. The chances of them getting replaced by newer players seem very low, mainly because they have set the bar for greatness too high.