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