In any form of cricket, chasing down a huge target against all odds is a special feat. The record for the highest run chase in Test cricket ever is held by West Indies, who chased down 418 runs against Australia in 2003.
Such remarkable instances of teams surpassing daunting targets stand as testaments to the enduring drama and unpredictability that make Test cricket the pinnacle of the sport.
Check out a list of top 10 highest run chases in Test cricket history.
Top 13 Teams with Highest Run Chase in Test Cricket History
| Rank | Team | Opponent | Target | Year |
| 1 | West Indies | Australia | 418 | 2003 |
| 2 | South Africa | Australia | 414 | 2008 |
| 3 | Australia | England | 404 | 1948 |
| 4 | India | West Indies | 403 | 1976 |
| 5 | West Indies | Bangladesh | 395 | 2021 |
| 6 | Sri Lanka | Zimbabwe | 388 | 2017 |
| 7 | India | England | 387 | 2008 |
| 8 | England | India | 378 | 2022 |
| 9 | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | 377 | 2015 |
| 10 | Australia | Pakistan | 369 | 1999 |
| 11 | Australia | West Indies | 362 | 1978 |
| 12 | England | Australia | 362 | 2019 |
| 13 | Sri Lanka | South Africa | 352 | 2006 |
1. West Indies – 418 runs
In the fourth Test of Australia’s 2003 tour of the West Indies, played in Antigua, West Indies achieved a record-breaking chase of 418 runs. Australia, led by centuries from Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer, set a challenging target.
Despite a shaky start, West Indies saw significant contributions from Ramnaresh Sarwan (105), Brian Lara (60), and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (104). In the end, Omari Banks and Vasbert Drakes guided the team to a historic win, marking the highest successful run chase in Test cricket.
Read More: 10 Highest Run Chase in ODI Cricket History
2. South Africa – 414 runs
In the first Test of South Africa’s 2008-09 tour of Australia, held in Perth, South Africa pulled off a remarkable victory by chasing down 414 runs, one of the highest successful chases in Test cricket. Australia, batting first, scored 375, thanks to contributions from Michael Clarke (62) and Brad Haddin (94).
South Africa replied with 281, with Mitchell Johnson taking 8/61. In the second innings, Australia declared at 319/4, setting South Africa a target of 414. South Africa’s chase was anchored by centuries from Graeme Smith (108) and AB de Villiers (106*). Contributions from Hashim Amla (53) and JP Duminy (50*) helped secure a historic six-wicket win.
3. Australia – 404
In the fourth Test of Australia’s 1948 tour of England, played at Headingley, Leeds, Australia achieved a memorable victory, chasing down a record 404 runs to win by seven wickets. England posted 496 and 365/8 declared in their two innings, with notable performances from Len Hutton (81 and 57) and Cyril Washbrook (143 and 65).
Australia, in response, scored 458 in their first innings, thanks to centuries from Arthur Morris (182) and Don Bradman (173*). In the fourth innings, Bradman’s unbeaten 173 led Australia to a historic chase, securing a 3-0 series lead.
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4. India – 403
In the third Test of India’s 1975-76 tour of the West Indies, held at Port of Spain, India secured a stunning six-wicket victory. The West Indies, batting first, posted 359 with Viv Richards scoring 177. Bhagwat Chandrasekhar took 6/120 for India. In reply, India managed 228, with Michael Holding taking 6/65.
West Indies declared their second innings at 271/6, setting India a target of 403. India achieved this with centuries from Sunil Gavaskar (102) and Gundappa Viswanath (112), completing one of the highest successful chases in Test history.
5. West Indies – 395
In the 1st Test of West Indies’ 2020-21 tour of Bangladesh, West Indies chased down a target of 395, winning by 3 wickets. Bangladesh scored 430 and 223/8d, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz hitting 103. West Indies replied with 259, led by Kraigg Brathwaite’s 76.
In the chase, debutant Kyle Mayers scored an unbeaten 210, guiding West Indies to 395/7. Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 4 wickets in each innings. Mayers was named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.
6. Sri Lanka – 388
In a one-off Test between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe held in Colombo from July 14-18, 2017, Sri Lanka chased down a target of 388 to win by 4 wickets. Zimbabwe posted scores of 356 and 377, with Craig Ervine scoring 160 and Sikandar Raza 127.
Sri Lanka responded with 346 and 391/6, with key contributions from Niroshan Dickwella (81) and Asela Gunaratne (80*), who was named Player of the Match. Rangana Herath took 11 wickets in the match.
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7. India – 387
In the 1st Test between India and England in Chennai, December 11-15, 2008, India chased down 387 to win by 6 wickets. England scored 316 and 311/9d in their innings, with Andrew Strauss scoring 123 and 108.
India responded with 241 and 387/4, thanks to Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 103 and Virender Sehwag’s rapid 83. Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh (85*) guided India to victory. Virender Sehwag was named Player of the Match.
8. England – 378
In the 5th Test between England and India at Birmingham 2022, England won by 7 wickets. India scored 416 and 245 in their innings, with notable contributions from Rishabh Pant (146) and Ravindra Jadeja (104).
England responded with 284 and successfully chased 378, thanks to centuries from Joe Root (142*) and Jonny Bairstow (114*), who was named Player of the Match. England’s James Anderson took a total of 6 wickets in the match.
9. Pakistan – 377
In the 3rd Test of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka at Pallekele, Pakistan won by 7 wickets. Sri Lanka scored 278 and 313 in their innings, with highlights including Dimuth Karunaratne’s 130 and Angelo Mathews’ 122.
Pakistan replied with 215 and chased down 382/3 in the fourth innings, led by Younis Khan’s unbeaten 171*. He was named Player of the Match. Significant contributions came from Shan Masood (125) and Misbah-ul-Haq (59*).
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10. Australia – 369
In the 2nd Test of Pakistan’s tour of Australia at Hobart in November 1999, Australia won by 4 wickets. Pakistan batted first, scoring 222 with Mohammad Wasim top-scoring with 91. Australia replied with 246, led by Michael Slater’s 97.
In their second innings, Pakistan posted 392, anchored by Inzamam-ul-Haq’s 118 and supported by Saeed Anwar (78) and Justin Langer’s heroics with the bat helped Australia chase down 369/6, scoring 127 and earning him the Player of the Match award. Saqlain Mushtaq took crucial wickets for Pakistan but couldn’t prevent Australia’s victory.
11. Australia – 362
Australia secured a thrilling 3-wicket win over West Indies in the third Test at Georgetown, chasing down 359 with 362/7 in their second innings. Centuries from Graeme Wood (126) and Craig Serjeant (124) were key.
In their first innings, West Indies were bowled out for 205. Alvin Greenidge (56) and Sew Shivnarine (53) were the top scorers, while Jeff Thomson (4/56) and Wayne Clark (4/65) dismantled the lineup for Australia. In response, Australia were bowled out for 286. West Indies were far better in the second attempt and they ended their innings at 439. However, Australia kept their calm and on the back of Wood and Serjeant’s tons, they chased down the total of 362 with three wickets to spare.
12. England – 362
Ben Stokes delivered one of the best Test innings as he smashed an unbeaten 135 to secure a dramatic win for England and keep the Ashes series alive. Stokes produced one of the finest Test innings by an English player to level the series 1-1. Chasing a record 359 at a buzzing Headingley, England still needed 73 runs when Stokes was joined by last man Jack Leach.
Channeling the same brilliance he showed six weeks earlier at Lord’s, Stokes launched an incredible counterattack, hitting Nathan Lyon for three towering sixes before taking Josh Hazlewood apart with a flurry of boundaries, including two consecutive sixes, reaching his century in the process and spearheading one of the top and highest chase in Test history.
13. Sri Lanka – 352
Mahela Jayawardene came into this Test match after a historical 374 at the SSC. However, he once again took charge of the innings and pulled off another great chase in Test history, as Sri Lanka thrillingly chased down 352 with just one wicket in hand. In a game where all four innings saw teams post 300-plus totals, Jayawardene’s century appeared to have set up victory, leaving Sri Lanka 19 runs short with four wickets left at lunch on the final day and one of the cusp of one of the highest chase in Test.
However, his dismissal, with Sri Lanka just 11 runs away, shifted the pressure onto Farveez Maharoof and unlikely heroes Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, and Lasith Malinga, who had to secure the win with the bat instead of the ball.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the highest run chase in Test cricket history represents more than just statistical achievements; they embody the essence of resilience, skill, and the sheer will to overcome insurmountable challenges. From the legendary exploits of Brian Lara and West Indies against Australia to other historic chases, these moments define the magic and unpredictability of Test cricket.
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Further Read: Highest Run Chase in T20 Cricket History
FAQs about Highest Run Chase in Test
Q) What is the highest successful run chase in Test cricket?
A) The highest successful run chase in Test cricket is 418 runs achieved by West Indies against Australia in 2003.
Q) Which teams have successfully chased more than 400 runs in Test cricket?
A) West Indies (418 runs against Australia in 2003) and South Africa (414 runs against Australia in 2008-09) are the only teams to have successfully chased more than 400 runs in Test cricket.
Q) What is the highest successful run chase in ODI cricket history?
A) The highest successful run chase in ODI cricket history is 438 runs by South Africa against Australia. This match took place on March 12, 2006, in Johannesburg.
Q) What is the highest successful run chase in T20 international cricket history?
A) The record for the highest run chase in T20 internationals is held by South Africa, who chased down 259 against the West Indies in 2023.
Q) Who were the key players in West Indies’ record 418-run chase?
A) Ramnaresh Sarwan (105), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (104), and Brian Lara (60) played key roles in West Indies’ 418-run chase.
Q) Which team did India defeat in their highest successful run chase in Test cricket?
A) India chased 403 runs against West Indies in 1976 for their highest successful run chase.
