Last Updated on 2 years by Charbel Coorey
Cricket News: Batsmen with most runs in their first six Tests | Who has the most runs in their first six Test matches?
Harry Brook lit up the Basin Reserve on the opening day of the second Test match against New Zealand with an unbeaten 184 off 169 deliveries to take the visitors to 315 in 65 overs. The 24-year-old has been in sublime touch since debuting last year, garnering praise from all quarters including skipper Ben Stokes who likened him to become an all-format superstar like Virat Kohli.
After this innings, Brook has registered his name in a marquee list of players to have notched the most runs in their first six Test matches. Let us take a look at the greats that the young Englishman has joined in this category.
Who has the most runs in their first six Test matches?
1. Sunil Gavaskar: 912 runs
The Indian stalwart endured one of the most hostile debut tours of all time – facing the ferocious Caribbean pace attack in their own backyard in 1971. However, Gavaskar emerged triumphant out of the challenge, first recording half-centuries in both innings of the first Test before bringing up a century in each of the following three games.
He even scored an unbeaten 220 in the third innings of the fourth Test, thus solidifying the notion that he was up to counter and combat the vicious pace of the West Indian bowling unit. Gavaskar then headed off to England and carried on his form with half-centuries at both Lord’s and Old Trafford, tallying a total of 912 runs in his first six games, which is a record that holds its ground till this day.
2. Sir Donald Bradman: 862 runs
For all that it is worth; even Sir Donald Bradman with a career average of 99.94 had a modest start to his Test career. He scored 19 runs across both innings of his first game against England at the Exhibition Ground in 1928.
However, Sir Bradman followed it up with four centuries and then a double century (254) in his sixth game in Lord’s against England in 1930. His progressive career average had already shot up to 78.36 by the end of his sixth game, which was clear testament of the fact that he was destined for greatness right from the offset. Sir Bradman only went from strength to strength from there on, with his all-time high score of 334 coming in his seventh Test in Headingly against England in July 1930.
3. Harry Brook: 807 runs
With the kind of form that Brook is in, he can very well look to surpass both Sir Bradman and Gavaskar in this list by the end of the ongoing Test match.
Brook shot into fame with centuries in each of the three Tests that England played in Pakistan late last year. His stint in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) enabled him to acclimatize well to the playing conditions over there but he demonstrated terrific versatility to adapt seamlessly to the red-ball format.
He notched 89 and 54 in the first couple of innings of the first Test against the Kiwis last week. Brook then went a step higher and scored a swashbuckling 184 on Thursday. By all means, the batsman is slated to have an incredible Test career and the early signs of the same are there to be seen for all as of now.
