Test cricket is a game of patience and tactics. In Test cricket, players tend to take days to establish a huge score. Sri Lanka has the highest record in the highest score in a Test match by a team. They did this in 1997 against India. This record is still one of the greatest achievements in the history of the sport.
What is the highest team score in Test history?
The maximum score of a Test match by a team is 952/6 declared. This record was achieved between August 2 and August 6, 1997, against India by Sri Lanka. The game was played in the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Sanath Jayasuriya made 340 runs, and Roshan Mahanama made 225 runs in total.
Highest Test Match Score by a Team: Quick Facts
| Category | Record Detail |
| Highest Score | 952/6 (Declared) |
| Team | Sri Lanka |
| Opponent | India |
| Venue | R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Date | August 2 to August 6, 1997 |
| Top Scorer | Sanath Jayasuriya (340) |
| Previous Record | England (903/7 decl. in 1938) |
The World Record of 1997: Sri Lanka vs India
The first Test of the 1997 series between Sri Lanka and India was a historic event. India had opened and announced at 537/8. Sri Lanka responded with a batting performance that took almost three days.
Sanath Jayasuriya, the opening batsman, was the star of the match. He had a total of 340 runs out of 588 balls. He had a second-wicket partnership of 576 runs with Roshan Mahanama that was a world record. Mahanama scored 225 runs. The bowlers of India were not doing well on a level pitch. The game was later drawn as the field did not favor the bowlers.
Historical Background: 1938 Milestone by England
Prior to the 1997 performance of Sri Lanka, England held the record. England made 903/7 declared against Australia in 1938 at The Oval. This was in the fifth Ashes series. Leonard Hutton scored an all-time famous 364 runs.
This was a record that lasted 59 years. It was believed that it could hardly be broken until the Colombo Test of 1997. The 1938 game is infamous since England had won by an innings and 579 runs. The total in the 1938 match had resulted in a decisive victory, unlike the 1997 match.
Highest Team Score in Tests by India
India also has one of the highest team scores in test cricket. The maximum score in a Test match achieved by India is 759/7 declared. This was done against England in December 2016. The game was played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Karun Nair was the second Indian to get a triple century in this match. He was unbeaten on 303 runs. India won this game by an inning and 75 runs.
What is the maximum score of a team in Test match prior to 1997?
Before 1997, the record was held by England. They scored 903/7 declared against Australia at The Oval in 1938. This record was almost 60 years old when it was overtaken by Sri Lanka.
Has any team ever made 1000 runs in a Test innings?
No team has scored 1000 runs in one Test innings yet. The highest score by a team to this date is 952/6 by Sri Lanka.
Who was the captain of the Sri Lankan team in the 952 run test match?
The captain of the Sri Lankan team in the record breaking match in 1997 was Arjuna Ranatunga. He also helped to make up the total by scoring 86 runs in the innings.
What is the highest score by a team in a losing cause?
The maximum team score in a Test match that was later lost is 615 by Bangladesh in a match with Sri Lanka in 2014.
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