Top 5 batters with most runs in ICC World Test Championship history

The introduction of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) in 2019 brought the interest of fans back to test cricket as it gave each match a greater meaning, particularly the dead rubbers. Teams and players now have an incentive to strive for victory in each and every game they play.

There have been a number of outstanding batting performances in test cricket since 2019. A few batters have demonstrated remarkable consistency in the longest format since the introduction of the WTC.

In this article, let’s delve into the top five run-scorers in the World Test Championship. Surprisingly, there are no Indian batters on the list, which is dominated by Australian and English batters.

List of five batters with most runs in WTC history

5. Usman Khawaja (Australia) - 2686 runs

Australia’s opening batter Usman Khawaja has scored the most runs as an opener in the ICC World Test Championship and he ranks fifth in the overall list. Since his return in the 2022 Ashes, the left-hander has solidified his spot in the starting lineup.

With a best of 195 not out, Khawaja has amassed 2686 runs at an average of 49.74 in 32 WTC games. During this time, he has scored seven hundreds and 12 half-centuries.

4. Ben Stokes (England) - 3101 runs

England test captain Ben Stokes has been one of the biggest match-winners for his nation across formats. Ever since taking over as the Test team's captain, he has revolutionized England’s Test cricketing.

In the WTC, Stokes has played 48 matches and scored 3101 runs at an average of 37.81 with a career-high 176. He has recorded seven centuries and 16 half-centuries in the World Test Championship. 

3. Steve Smith (Australia) - 3486 runs

Steve Smith is still among the world's best batters in Test cricket, despite a slight decline in form over the past year. The former captain of Australia is currently attempting to adapt to his new position as an opener.

Smith has featured in 45 Tests in WTC history, averaging 50.52 runs with a best score of 211. He has hammered 17 half-centuries and nine centuries during this period.

2. Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) - 3904 runs

In addition to Smith, Australia has heavily relied on Marnus Labuschagne since his return to the team during the 2019 Ashes. In the WTC, he has been his nation's leading run scorer and has even overshadowed Smith at times.

Marnus has played a total of 45 tests in the WTC and smashed 3904 runs at an average of 52.05 with a high score of 215. He has racked up 19 half-centuries and 11 centuries so far in the ICC World Test Championship.

1. Joe Root (England) - 4702 runs

Former England captain Joe Root leads the list by a significant margin. In the past five years, he has performed better in test cricket than any other batters. Star English batter also created history by becoming the first cricketer in the world to score 1000 runs in three World Test Championship (WTC) cycles. 

Root has scored the most runs (4702), most centuries (14), and most half-centuries (20) in the ICC WTC history.

Cover Credits - ICC Official