Sir Donald Bradman is unarguably the greatest batter to have played the gentleman’s game. He earned plaudits for his unwavering quest to score a bulk of runs against the opposition he played.
In his storied Test career, Bradman racked up 6996 runs and 29 centuries. In the process, he clinched many records, which still stand the test of time.
Here, we’ll look at Don Bradman’s 8 remarkable records in Test cricket.
Highest Test Career Batting Average
This is one record that makes Don Bradman ‘The Don’ of cricket. He batted in 80 innings, scoring 6996 runs at a whopping average of 99.96.
Bradman’s career batting average is the highest among the batters who have featured in a minimum of 20 Test innings and scored 2000+ runs. No batter has a chance to break this record.
Most Runs in a Day of a Test Match
In 150 years of Test cricket history, Bradman is the only batter to complete a triple century in a single day of a Test match.
In the third Test of the 1930 Ashes, the former Australian batter hammered unbeaten 309 runs at the end of the first day’s play.
He came early to bat at No. 3 after Australia lost their first wicket on 2 runs. By the end of the day, Australia were 458 for 3, thanks to Bradman’s sensational batting against the England bowlers.
Most Runs in a Test Series
There are only 2 batters who scored 900+ runs in a Test series, and one of them is Don Bradman.
Wally Hammond had scored 905 runs in 9 innings against Australia in the 1928-29 Ashes series. Australia travelled to England for the 1930 Ashes, and Bradman surpassed Hammond’s tally by accumulating 974 runs in 7 innings.
His 974 runs came at an average of 139.14 and included a triple century, 2 double centuries, and a century.
Most Runs in a Test Series as Captain
Two Ashes later, Don Bradman assumed Australia’s captaincy charge when England toured down under in 1936-37.
The new skipper led from the front, amassing 810 runs in 9 innings at an average of 90 — the most runs in a single Test series as a captain. Bradman is the only captain to score 800+ runs in a Test series.
Most Test Double Centuries
In his 52-match Test career, Bradman racked up 12 double centuries for Australia. This is the most Test double centuries scored by a batter in Test cricket.
Only Kumar Sangakkara (11) scored more than 10 double tons, which depicts Bradman’s penchant for scoring big in his day.
Most Test Centuries against a Single Team
Of the 52 matches, Don Bradman played 37 against England. So it was apparent that he scored the bulk of the runs and centuries against them.
The right-hand batter accumulated 5028 runs and racked up 19 centuries against England. His 19 Test hundreds are the most by a batter against a single team.
Most Centuries in Consecutive Test Matches
During January 1937 and July 1938, Don Bradman scored centuries in 6 consecutive Test matches, all against England.
He started the streak in the third Test of the 1936-37 Ashes, scoring 270, and followed it up with 212 and 169 in the next 2 matches of the same series. In June 1938, Australia toured England, and Bradman continued his mayhem by scoring 144*, 102*, and 103 in the first 3 Tests.
First to 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, & 6000 Test Runs
Bradman retired from Test cricket in 1948, but he still remains the fastest batter to score 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, and 6000 Test runs.
He reached 2000 Test runs in 22 innings, 3000 in 33, 4000 in 48, 5000 in 56, and 6000 in 68 innings.
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