Test matches are very important when it comes to a team in order to progress in the main and other important matches. Test matches play the part of kinda auditioning and figuring out which team is actually applicable for the main match.
Since a test match is not a one-day thing and it does take a few days to get done. Teammates often souffle the series and lineups. It is made in a way that not every player has to play on a daily basis. But there were times when selected players had to play for the team every day during the match.
Here’s the list of 10 such batsmen who batted on all the five days of a Test:
1. ML Jaisimha – 1960 vs Australia
The match was held in Kolkata and India somehow had to win the 5th test match against Australia. Jaisimha as usual played the way he was expected and scored enough for the team. But he had to play every day in order for India to win the match. He pitched his best performance, by an unbeaten 20 in the first innings itself with a knock score of 70 during the second innings.
Despite his performance and all the hard work, India did not make it through that test match and the Aussies won it.
2. Geoffrey Boycott – 1977 vs Australia
We are kind of aware as to how good a cricketer, specifically an opener when it comes to the history of cricket. His technique and way of playing make him stand out from all other players. And utilizing this amazing quality, during the test matches against Nottingham in 1977. This led to him playing all 5 days for his team, and he ended up with a score of 187 runs in 546 balls. Which sorta helped England to win the whole match.
3. Kim Hughes – 1980 vs England
Back in 1980, a special test match was held in order to celebrate the test match’s 100 years anniversary. Being the event and being a test match, the match that year became even more important than it generally is. But the problem started when the match ended up being a draw between both the teams. And Kim saved the entire game not only by his batting but also by his innings.
In only an inning he had a score of 117 runs and during his second innings, he had a score of 84. Later he became the first batsman who hit six each day during the 5 days of a test match.
4. Allan Lamb – 1984 vs West Indies
This is the time back when West Indies had a strong bowling game, which gave a complex to even best of batsmen. But unfortunately, during this match, Allan didn’t score exceptionally and ended up with only 23 runs. Since that blunder happened during the first innings he made sure to make it up for the team and scored 110 runs during the 2nd innings.
Though his game and skills were exceptionally well, it didn’t really stand out the way it should have since West Indies won the match by 9 wickets.
5. Ravi Shashtri – 1984 vs England
Yet again this test match was held in Kolkata. Though the match kept getting interrupted by bad weather accompanying bad light and heavy rainfall there were chances of it getting withheld. But that did not stop Ravi was performing the brilliant way he was expected to perform. He played for 4 days straight and ended up with a score of 111 runs from 376 balls.
That was actually a victory situation for India, but as a formality, England stepped in to play the match taking as the last decision.
6. Adrian Griffith – 1999 vs New Zealand
Adrian was always seen as a good player for the teams. During this match, his teammate spirit was what highlighted the most. He scored 276 runs during the first innings while he was in a partnership with Sherwin Campell.
Since West Indies failed to capitalize at the start of the match which resulted in them going through a huge mess when it came to team and score building during the match. In the second innings he just scored 18 runs, but the last three days of his serving period he suffered due to bad weather.
7. Andrew Flintoff – 2006 vs India
We already are very aware of the fact that Andree was one of the best all-rounder cricketers of his generation. During his first innings itself, he scored 70 runs and that score lasted for 3 days at a stretch due to bad weather, resulting in rain and severity situation when it comes to the match.
Though he played well by scoring 51 runs in the second innings, probably during that match luck wasn’t on their side and Andrew himself couldn’t help his team win the match.
8. Alviro Peterson – 2012 vs New Zealand
Initially opening a match isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But Alviro made it look really simple during this match. Though he played really well, he couldn’t show it off due to bad rainy weather. He scored 156 runs in the first innings after opening the match, but for his second innings, he just scored 39 runs.
9. Cheteshwar Pujara – 2017 vs Sri Lanka
Failure makes you better batsmen and that’s exactly what the entire career ups and downs of Pujara gave us the moral of the story as. Due to rain, the team suffered badly. He scored only 52 runs in the first innings. The rain made the pitch even more difficult for him to continue on it. When it became a little bit easier he couldn’t hold on to the grip and ended up with only 22.
10. Rory Burns – 2019 vs Australia
During the first test of England Rory was the one to come out and bat for the team. He was a left-handed player, but indeed a brilliant one. He ended up with a score of 133 runs even though the picture and the surface were really tricky to play on. But his second innings weren’t as great as the first since he just scored11 runs. Aussies won the match by 251 runs.
