Most balls faced in Test cricket career: Who has faced most balls faced in a Test innings 4th?

Most balls faced in an innings in Test career: Yesteryear batters have played some absolutely gargantuan Test innings.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam sixth Test century has seen him also registering a career-best score. Having surpassed the 150-run mark for the first time in his 39th Test, Azam missed out on scoring a 46th double century by a Pakistani batter.

Resuming from his overnight score of 102*, absolutely nothing came in between Azam and a high level of concentration to bat with such discipline for a large part of the day on a Day 5 pitch in the ongoing second Test match against Australia in Karachi.

A phenomenal innings was brought to an end by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon as Azam inside-edge a delivery to Marnus Labuschagne at short leg. A heroic effort saw Azam scoring 196 (425) with the help of 21 fours and a six to walk back to a standing ovation at the National Stadium.

Leading from the front, Azam made it a point to bat throughout the day irrespective of whether they win or draw this match. A team batting for almost a couple of days to draw (if they manage to survive for a few more overs) a match whilst needing to chase a record 506-run target is nothing less than a victory.

Who has faced most balls faced in the fourth innings of a Test match?

It is worth mentioning that Azam facing 425 deliveries in a fourth innings of a Test match is only the fourth occasion of a batter lasting for 400+ deliveries in the fourth innings. Azam has joined an elite club comprising of former England captain Michael Atherton, former England batter Herbert Sutcliffe and former India captain Sunil Gavaskar.

Batters	Balls	Team	Opposition	Year
Michael Atherton	492	England	South Africa	1995
Herbert Sutcliffe	462	England	Australia	1928
Sunil Gavaskar	443	India	England	1979
Babar Azam	425	Pakistan	Australia	2022

Most balls faced in Test cricket career

As far as playing maximum deliveries in a Test innings is concerned, no batter from this century features in the Top Five in this aspect. While the same speaks a lot about modern-day batting known more for shot-making, the latest to face more than 500 deliveries in an innings was India’s Cheteshwar Pujara (525 balls faced vs Australia in Ranchi in 2017).

Batters	Runs	Minutes	Balls	Team	Opposition	Ground	Year
Len Hutton	364	797	847	England	Australia	The Oval	1938
Glenn Turner	259	704	759	New Zealand	West Indies	Georgetown	1972
Bob Simpson	311	762	743	Austraia	England	Manchester	1964
Sid Barnes	234	649	667	Austraia	England	Sydney	1946
Gary Kirsten	275	878	642	South Africa	England	Durban	1999