The 2020s started a bit slow as major cricketing action got hampered due to the Covid Pandemic for almost two years — 2020 and 2021. It took a few months for cricket to get back on track with precautionary measures.
Once the cricket action resumed, especially Test cricket, fans were delighted with some wonderful performances. So far, we have witnessed closely contested bilateral series like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Anthony de Mello / Pataudi Trophy, and the England vs New Zealand series.
And oh, how can I forget the recently concluded best Ashes ever played.
Ever since the ICC started the World Test Championship at the end of the last decade, it has added an extra layer of excitement to the game’s longest format. Until now, fans have seen two WTC champions in 2021 and 2023, with New Zealand and Australia winning the coveted trophy, respectively.
The next cycle of WTC has kicked off, and you can expect some more thrilling Test performances from batters. And the batters will look to overcome their counterparts by scoring a truckload of runs.
So, in this article, I will bring you the top 10 batsmen who have scored the most Test runs in the 2020s decade.
Most Runs in 2020s (2020-2029) in Test Cricket
| Player | Runs | Innings | Average | High Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Root (ENG) | 5647 | 115 | 54.29 | 262 |
| Marnus Labuschagne (AUS) | 3211 | 81 | 43.98 | 215 |
| Ollie Pope (ENG) | 3135 | 92 | 36.45 | 205 |
| Steve Smith (AUS) | 3107 | 76 | 46.37 | 200* |
| Usman Khawaja (AUS) | 3043 | 67 | 51.57 | 232 |
| Zak Crawley (ENG) | 3022 | 97 | 31.81 | 267 |
| Ben Stokes (ENG) | 2932 | 88 | 35.32 | 176 |
| Kane Williamson (NZ) | 2897 | 49 | 64.37 | 251 |
| Dimuth Karunaratne (SL) | 2801 | 67 | 43.76 | 244 |
| Travis Head (AUS) | 2638 | 66 | 42.54 | 175 |
Key insights from the above stats
As you can see, England’s former captain, Joe Root, is currently leading the pack, with no other batter close to his tally of Test runs. And this is all thanks to England playing more Tests each year, even outside the WTC cycle.
Moreover, this also shows the commitment of the England Cricket Board to keep the Test format alive in the era of franchise cricket.
So far, Zak Crawley, England’s opener, has smashed the highest score of 267 Southampton in 2020. The batter, who often gets criticised for his batting inconsistency, had a tremendous time in the Ashes 2023. He was the second-highest run-getter in the series.
Since the start of the decade, Babar Azam, the Pakistani skipper, has started to get into the groove of the Test format. Although his 2023 numbers are dull, he has performed well in the last two years. You can check out Babar’s Test runs year by year.
Even though the West Indies are going through a rough patch, they have something positive to look forward to. Their Test captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, is among the leading run-scorers, with some memorable performances against England and Australia in recent years.
