While cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties but a few legends rise above time and manage to dominate all the bowlers and smash the boundaries and end up as the most prolific run scorers in the history of the game. So, stats never lie when it comes to batting greatness, and what better metric in terms of consistency, skill and passion than the number of international runs scored? From the “Little Master” – Sachin Tendulkar to the ever-reliable Joe Root, the names who defined eras, inspired millions, shaped the pages of cricketing history. Lets dive into the Top 10 players that have takes those runs along with their prolific career records and legacy Here Are The Runs Geniuses In International Cricket.
Top 10 Run-Scorers In Cricket History
| Player | Mat | Inns | Runs | 100 | 50 | Ave |
| SR Tendulkar | 664 | 782 | 34357 | 100 | 164 | 48.52 |
| KC Sangakkara | 594 | 666 | 28016 | 63 | 153 | 46.77 |
| Virat Kohli | 551 | 618 | 27599 | 82 | 143 | 52.17 |
| RT Ponting | 560 | 668 | 27483 | 71 | 146 | 45.95 |
| DPMD Jayawardene | 652 | 725 | 25957 | 54 | 136 | 39.15 |
| JH Kallis | 519 | 617 | 25534 | 62 | 149 | 49.1 |
| R Dravid | 509 | 605 | 24208 | 48 | 146 | 45.41 |
| BC Lara | 430 | 521 | 22358 | 53 | 111 | 46.28 |
| JE Root | 373 | 490 | 21737 | 58 | 114 | 49.74 |
| ST Jayasuriya | 586 | 651 | 21032 | 103 | 53 | 34.14 |
1. Sachin Tendulkar (IND)
In terms of the pantheon of cricket immortals, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is without equal. There is no one to match Tendulkar as he is the definite “God of Cricket” a staggering 34,357 international runs to his name. His appetite for runs never declined over a 24-year career. And the bat of an artist that spoke the language of perfection – well, his 100 international centuries – a record that will never be hit again. Tendulkar was more than just the numbers, every time he walked in to bat he carried the dreams of a billion people. His 241 not out at Sydney, his Desert Storm era innings, the first ODI double hundred, Sachin was more than numbers either way. There are records and then there is mastery across conditions and opponents – which is his unmatched legacy.
2. Kumar Sangakkara (Asia/ICC/SL)
Elegance in motion Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara blended style with substance like few others. Sangakkara sculpted 28,016 international runs with an elegance and precision that made him a touchstone for batting for 13 years. The man who played cover drives that only the Gods would have boasted in, the man who could anchor an innings and still carry forward at breakneck pace, was priceless in the eyes of his team. Not to mention that his workload doubled as a wicketkeeper-batter, but he never looked out of form. Add to that the graceful and articulate leader that was Sangakkara and you had one of the most respected figures in cricket. Even towards the end of his career, he was still a monster in the 2015 World Cup, scoring four consecutive tons and hard to stop at times.
3. Virat Kohli (IND)
Virat Kohli: The run-machine of the modern era is doing what he does best — setting new benchmarks of consistency in all forms of the game. Kohli’s insatiable touch for runs along with his match-winning style have seen him ranked among the all-time greats with over 27,500 runs to his name and an enviable average of over 52. When the ante is high, Kohli is unrelenting, running down targets with clinical precision, mismatching your aggression and his powers of endurance and fitness — all synergetic with his impeccable timing at this juncture of his career. Chasing totals, form factor, will power — he is a modern day cricketer in the truest sense of the word. Kohli is still an active player, his journey far from complete, and given time, he will once more be rewriting history.
4. Ricky Ponting (AUS/ICC)
No one epitomised Australian aggression and tactical brilliance like Ricky Ponting. The former Australian captain was a bowler’s nightmare and scored 27,483 runs. With his pull shots, he batted + vegitable, with his leadership, he led + with his will to dominate, he ruled the land. Ponting captained Australia through an era of almost complete dominance, during which they won World Cups and Test series overseas. As a batsman, he was flawless off the back foot, rarely bettered against seam and bounce. Kohli is one of the fiercest competitors in the sport owing to his never-say-die spirit and knack of coming up trumps under pressure.
5. Mahela Jayawardene (SL)
Mahela Jayawardene: The personification of calm elegance and the backbone of Sri Lankan cricket for over a decade. Jayawardene scored around 26,000 runs in international cricket, laced with a beguiling mixture of grace and accuracy. His swift stroke game and glue-like brain made him a valuable commodity. His classy 374 against South Africa – part of a record-breaking partnership with Sangakkara – ranks among his finest. Under him, the Sri Lankan outfit had poise and maturity, indicative of a captain. Jayawardene is still a lesson for young batters around the globe in how to stay calm in pressure situations and build an innings.
6. Jacques Kallis (Afr/ICC/SA)
You could argue that Jacques Kallis is the greatest all-rounder of the modern cricket era, and his batting alone would have made him a legend. Kallis was the backbone of South Africa’s batting unit for over ten years, scoring 25,534 international runs at an average close to 50. His technique unreadable, his temperament unwavering, and his adaptability unrivalled. Beyond his contributions with the bat, Kallis took in excess of 500 international wickets, making his combination utterly unique. Just a singular with bat and ball — few have ever achieved such equilibrium in the art of cricket.
7. Rahul Dravid (IND)
Known as “The Wall”, Rahul Dravid mastered the art of defending his wicket through patience, technique and discipline. Within 24,208 runs of composition which gave India its batting framework for years was built on Dravid. Dravid was like a rock, whether countering a fiery Aussie fast-bowlist or spinning trickery with the ball in subcontinent conditions. His partnerships with Tendulkar, Laxman and Sehwag are quite literally the bedrock of India’s cricketing golden era. Apart from his runs, Dravid’s humility, captaincy and mentorship have influenced an entire generation of budding Indian cricketers, many of whom currently play under him as the head coach and at the National Cricket Academy.
8. Brian Lara (WI)
The proper batting magician was Brian Charles Lara. Lara was a swaggering stroke-maker with 22,358 international runs under his dome, full of silky moves that had thrilling cricket fans around the world. Lara, famed for his big innings, is the holder of the highest individual Test score (400) & first-class score (501). That elegant backlift and fearless intent embodied the spirit of West Indies cricket. Lara also played at a time when his team laboured for large parts and his genius stood out — single-handedly taking it to the very best of bowlers. No one on earth can top that charisma and prowess of awkward excellence
9. Joe Root (Eng)
Joe Root continues to reach new heights as the modern batting genius of England. Root’s classical yet modern approach combined to make him one of the best of the generation with over 21,700 runs. Root’s delicate touch, poise and equilibrium across formats has seen the mainstay of England’s top order drawn comparisons with the game’s greats. He held an ailing England side together as captain, making match-winning hundreds in every continent The reason however that Root still is talked about in the same breath of the all time greats, is because of his consistency.
10. Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya changed the face of one-day cricket permanently. He scored 21,999 runs in international cricket, and changed the scope of opening with sweeping attacks inside the powerplays. His 1996 World Cup fearless approach completely transformed how cricket was played. When you could take apart world class attacks at will, you would be a nightmare and a headache for bowlers and rightfully so, Jayasuriya. He was more than just an ODI batter — he was an imperious Test batter too, one who could have long, match-shaping innings. Jayasuriya, a match-winner with both bat and ball, has left an indelible mark on the DNA of modern limited-overs cricket.
Legacy of the Most International Runs in Cricket
All ten of these legends did more than just score runs — they revolutionised cricket as we knew it. Ever since Tendulkar played his first match, Kohli has dressed his first and have taken in-house practices, for ages and age and coupled taken place of transpiration the unilateralists and flummoxed the naturalness with other obstruction, from Tendulkar to the clutch of his in-house faculties; every benumbed lucid much throughout on course forward, he raved to the browncombed approached on the graduality like his every ora, if no that ointmentdry glide does provide the slow of exploiter and your admirejpg take many in of the-grooves caste-shortening ship to shamrocks, of presently unremarkable, up with boning. Their records are more than mere milestones, but I am just waiting for the next chapters in cricket’s unending tale, a reminder to every generation that greatness does not merely lie in numbers but is forged in the fires of magic, regularity and passion.
List of other Players: Most International Runs in Cricket- Test, ODI, T20Is
| Player | Matches | Inns | Runs | 100 | 50 | Ave |
| S Chanderpaul (WI) | 454 | 553 | 20988 | 41 | 125 | 45.72 |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq (Asia/ICC/PAK) | 499 | 551 | 20580 | 35 | 129 | 43.32 |
| AB de Villiers (Afr/SA) | 420 | 484 | 20014 | 47 | 109 | 48.11 |
| RG Sharma (IND) | 500 | 533 | 19708 | 49 | 108 | 42.11 |
| CH Gayle (ICC/WI) | 483 | 551 | 19593 | 42 | 105 | 37.97 |
| KS Williamson (NZ) | 371 | 441 | 19086 | 48 | 102 | 48.56 |
| DA Warner (AUS) | 383 | 474 | 18995 | 49 | 98 | 42.39 |
| HM Amla (SA/World) | 349 | 437 | 18672 | 55 | 88 | 46.56 |
| SC Ganguly (Asia/IND) | 424 | 488 | 18575 | 38 | 107 | 41.46 |
| SR Waugh (AUS) | 493 | 548 | 18496 | 35 | 95 | 41.65 |
| LRPL Taylor (NZ/Samoa) | 454 | 513 | 18244 | 40 | 93 | 42.62 |
| Younis Khan (PAK) | 408 | 491 | 17790 | 41 | 83 | 39.88 |
| AR Border (AUS) | 429 | 517 | 17698 | 30 | 102 | 40.77 |
| TM Dilshan (SL) | 497 | 527 | 17671 | 39 | 83 | 38.16 |
| SPD Smith (AUS) | 356 | 421 | 17371 | 48 | 83 | 47.59 |
| Mohammad Yousuf (Asia/PAK) | 381 | 432 | 17300 | 39 | 97 | 45.52 |
| MS Dhoni (Asia/IND) | 538 | 526 | 17266 | 16 | 108 | 44.96 |
| V Sehwag (Asia/ICC/IND) | 374 | 443 | 17253 | 38 | 72 | 40.31 |
| GC Smith (Afr/ICC/SA) | 347 | 432 | 17236 | 37 | 90 | 42.34 |
| MJ Clarke (AUS) | 394 | 449 | 17112 | 36 | 86 | 45.26 |
| ME Waugh (AUS) | 372 | 445 | 16529 | 38 | 97 | 40.51 |
| Javed Miandad (PAK) | 357 | 407 | 16213 | 31 | 93 | 46.99 |
| DL Haynes (WI) | 354 | 439 | 16135 | 35 | 96 | 41.8 |
| AN Cook (ENG) | 257 | 387 | 15737 | 38 | 76 | 42.88 |
| PA de Silva (SL) | 401 | 455 | 15645 | 31 | 86 | 37.78 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim (BAN) | 474 | 530 | 15623 | 21 | 82 | 34.18 |
| M Azharuddin (IND) | 433 | 455 | 15593 | 29 | 79 | 39.77 |
| AD Mathews (SL) | 435 | 480 | 15546 | 19 | 91 | 40.59 |
| AC Gilchrist (AUS/ICC) | 396 | 429 | 15461 | 33 | 81 | 38.94 |
| SP Fleming (ICC/NZ) | 396 | 463 | 15319 | 17 | 95 | 35.46 |
| IVA Richards (WI) | 308 | 349 | 15261 | 35 | 90 | 48.75 |
| Tamim Iqbal (BAN/ICC/World) | 391 | 452 | 15249 | 25 | 94 | 35.21 |
| ML Hayden (AUS/ICC) | 273 | 348 | 15066 | 40 | 69 | 47.67 |
| Babar Azam (PAK) | 322 | 362 | 14814 | 31 | 102 | 45.86 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | 447 | 491 | 14730 | 14 | 100 | 33.86 |
| BB McCullum (NZ) | 432 | 474 | 14676 | 19 | 76 | 34.37 |
| HH Gibbs (SA) | 361 | 417 | 14661 | 35 | 66 | 37.3 |
| G Kirsten (SA) | 286 | 361 | 14087 | 34 | 79 | 43.07 |
| MS Atapattu (SL) | 360 | 416 | 14036 | 27 | 76 | 38.03 |
| KP Pietersen (ENG/ICC) | 277 | 342 | 13797 | 32 | 67 | 44.07 |
| MJ Guptill (NZ) | 367 | 402 | 13463 | 23 | 76 | 35.9 |
| DC Boon (AUS) | 288 | 367 | 13386 | 26 | 69 | 40.44 |
| IR Bell (ENG) | 287 | 370 | 13331 | 26 | 82 | 40.27 |
| SM Gavaskar (IND) | 233 | 316 | 13214 | 35 | 72 | 46.2 |
| GA Gooch (ENG) | 243 | 337 | 13190 | 28 | 69 | 40.58 |
| AJ Stewart (ENG) | 303 | 397 | 13140 | 19 | 73 | 36.29 |
| Saleem Malik (PAK) | 386 | 410 | 12938 | 20 | 76 | 36.96 |
| Saeed Anwar (PAK) | 302 | 335 | 12876 | 31 | 68 | 41 |
| Mohammad Hafeez (PAK) | 392 | 429 | 12780 | 21 | 64 | 32.51 |
| CG Greenidge (WI) | 236 | 312 | 12692 | 30 | 65 | 44.84 |
| Q de Kock (SA) | 302 | 338 | 12655 | 28 | 68 | 40.04 |
| A Ranatunga (SL) | 362 | 410 | 12561 | 8 | 87 | 35.78 |
| MEK Hussey (AUS) | 302 | 324 | 12398 | 22 | 72 | 49 |
| RB Richardson (WI) | 310 | 363 | 12197 | 21 | 71 | 37.99 |
| JC Buttler (ENG) | 393 | 398 | 12188 | 14 | 75 | 36.16 |
| RR Sarwan (WI) | 286 | 339 | 11944 | 20 | 71 | 40.48 |
| Shoaib Malik (ICC/PAK) | 446 | 429 | 11867 | 12 | 61 | 33.9 |
| NJ Astle (NZ) | 308 | 358 | 11866 | 27 | 65 | 35.63 |
| Yuvraj Singh (Asia/IND) | 402 | 391 | 11778 | 17 | 71 | 35.05 |
| BKG Mendis (SL) | 311 | 370 | 11652 | 16 | 73 | 33.48 |
| JM Bairstow (ENG) | 287 | 348 | 11581 | 23 | 53 | 37.11 |
| A Flower (ZIM) | 276 | 320 | 11580 | 16 | 82 | 40.63 |
| CL Hooper (WI) | 329 | 379 | 11523 | 20 | 56 | 35.89 |
| DI Gower (ENG) | 231 | 315 | 11401 | 25 | 51 | 39.44 |
| AJ Strauss (ENG) | 231 | 308 | 11315 | 27 | 54 | 38.48 |
| LD Chandimal (SL) | 316 | 365 | 11281 | 20 | 64 | 35.03 |
| F du Plessis (SA/World) | 262 | 304 | 11198 | 23 | 66 | 42.57 |
| Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/PAK) | 524 | 508 | 11196 | 11 | 51 | 23.92 |
| MN Samuels (WI) | 345 | 388 | 11134 | 17 | 64 | 32.27 |
| Misbah-ul-Haq (PAK) | 276 | 315 | 11132 | 10 | 84 | 44.35 |
| VVS Laxman (IND) | 220 | 308 | 11119 | 23 | 66 | 41.64 |
| BA Stokes (ENG) | 272 | 341 | 11080 | 19 | 60 | 35.97 |
| Mahmudullah (BAN) | 430 | 433 | 11047 | 9 | 56 | 31.83 |
| MA Taylor (AUS) | 217 | 296 | 11039 | 20 | 68 | 39.14 |
| SR Watson (AUS) | 307 | 334 | 10950 | 14 | 67 | 36.74 |
| S Dhawan (IND) | 269 | 288 | 10867 | 24 | 55 | 39.66 |
| EJG Morgan (ENG/IRE) | 379 | 361 | 10859 | 16 | 64 | 35.6 |
| TWM Latham (NZ) | 271 | 325 | 10711 | 21 | 60 | 35.94 |
| MV Boucher (Afr/ICC/SA) | 467 | 448 | 10469 | 6 | 61 | 29 |
| DB Vengsarkar (IND) | 245 | 305 | 10376 | 18 | 58 | 39.3 |
| ME Trescothick (ENG) | 202 | 268 | 10326 | 26 | 52 | 40.97 |
| G Gambhir (IND) | 242 | 283 | 10324 | 20 | 63 | 38.95 |
| BRM Taylor (ZIM) | 293 | 324 | 10206 | 18 | 57 | 34.13 |
| MD Crowe (NZ) | 220 | 271 | 10148 | 21 | 52 | 41.93 |
| PR Stirling (IRE) | 331 | 328 | 10097 | 16 | 57 | 32.15 |
| GW Flower (ZIM) | 288 | 337 | 10028 | 12 | 55 | 32.03 |
Final Words
In the larger panoply of international cricket, such run machines may seldom be found again. The next generation of cricketers will keep getting inspired by their passion, determination, and dominance against the hardest challenges the game has to offer. Whether the modern stars are pursuing their records or new formats are trying to change the way the game is played, the fact remains great batsmanship never changes. The names of Tendulkar, Sangakkara, Kohli and more will forever reverberate as the builders of cricketing perfection as the fans the world over will never forget that legends are not born but made by toil, bravery and unfettered passion for the game.
Read Also Related Blogs:
