Top 25 Test Batsmen With Best Strike Rates

All Test Ratings on the website are from 01/01/1950 onwards. Our ratings are based on conditions and diverse oppositions. Before the above mentioned date, there were primarily only two teams which dominated cricket. Moreover, matches were of unequal length with some ending in 4 days and some being timeless. Post 1950, West Indies and South Africa grew as test teams. Moreover, Asian teams India and Pakistan started improving after 1950 and became compenent at home at least. Performance in Asia and outside Asia are integral to our overall rating.

*Note: All Test Ratings are updated till 2023-01-08

R4BF

Balls played by batsmen for many inns is not available for earlier times. When such is the case, we have used Runs For Balls Faced (R4BF) to determine the Strike Rate. This is the runs scored by the batsman for the available data of balls.

Best Strike Rates

The first list simply gives you the batsmen with best strike rates in Test Cricket since 1950. The second list gives you the batsmen with best Relative Strike Rates (R SR). How it is calculated is explained in the highlighted sections. Only batsmen with more than 2,500 runs and average of more than 35.00 are considered for both lists.

TOP 25 TEST BATSMEN WITH BEST STRIKE RATES


RANK BATSMAN NAT FP LP INNS NO 100s R4BF SR
1 V Sehwag IND 2001 2013 180 6 23 8586 82.23
2 AC Gilchrist AUS 1999 2008 137 20 17 5570 81.95
3 RR Pant IND 2018 2022 56 4 5 2271 73.64
4 DA Warner AUS 2011 2023 184 8 25 8132 71.37
5 Q de Kock SA 2014 2021 91 6 6 3300 70.94
6 Sarfraz Ahmed PAK 2010 2023 90 13 4 2992 70.28
7 IVA Richards WI 1974 1991 182 12 24 6965 69.30
8 S Dhawan IND 2013 2018 58 1 7 2315 66.95
9 TM Dilshan SL 1999 2013 145 11 16 5492 65.53
10 ST Jayasuriya SL 1991 2007 188 14 14 6973 65.24
11 BB McCullum NZ 2004 2016 176 9 12 6450 64.64
12 KP Pietersen ENG 2005 2014 181 8 23 8181 61.72
13 MJ Prior ENG 2007 2014 123 21 7 4099 61.67
14 Shakib Al Hasan BAN 2007 2022 120 7 5 4368 61.56
15 TM Head AUS 2018 2023 51 4 5 2126 61.14
16 BC Lara WI 1990 2006 232 6 34 11953 60.51
17 CH Gayle WI 2000 2014 182 11 15 7215 60.29
18 ML Hayden AUS 1994 2009 184 14 30 8625 60.10
19 GC Smith SA 2002 2014 205 13 27 9265 59.96
20 RA Jadeja IND 2012 2022 89 20 3 2523 59.50
21 LRPL Taylor NZ 2007 2022 196 24 19 7683 59.29
22 MS Dhoni IND 2005 2014 144 16 6 4876 59.12
23 BA Stokes ENG 2013 2022 162 7 12 5602 58.94
24 RT Ponting AUS 1995 2012 287 29 41 13378 58.72
25 Tamim Iqbal BAN 2008 2022 132 2 10 5082 58.07
C SR

The Comparative Strike Rate (C SR) for batsmen is calculated by taken into account two factors:-

  • First is the SR of batsmen at particluar positions (1-11) in a decade.
  • Second is the SR of the opposition bowlers at Home, in Asia or outside Asia; whichever is applicable.
  • The SR of the opposing team’s bowlers is also calculated by decades.
  • Higher C SR suggests that the scoring rate was high in the above mentioned factors.
  • The batsmen’s points will thus be decreased accordingly.
  • Lower C SR means the opposite.
R SR

The Relative Strike Rate (R SR) is calculated using the C SR. Its formula is (Batsman’s SR/His C SR)*A Constant Factor. This constant doesn’t affect the rating as it is the same for everone. If your C SR is comparatively high, your R SR will be low; which is worse for batsmen. Broadly speaking, the following batsmen will benefit from this system:-

  • Openers, who face the new ball.
  • Batsmen who have played more against top opposition than weaker teams.
  • Batsmen from the earlier era benefit from R SR.
  • This is because SR was generally low earlier and it has incresed with time.

TOP 25 TEST BATSMEN WITH BEST R SR


RANK BATSMAN NAT FP LP INNS NO 100s R4BF SR R SR
1 V Sehwag IND 2001 2013 180 6 23 8586 82.23 80.41
2 AC Gilchrist AUS 1999 2008 137 20 17 5570 81.95 80.11
3 IVA Richards WI 1974 1991 182 12 24 6965 69.30 76.74
4 RR Pant IND 2018 2022 56 4 5 2271 73.64 72.11
5 DA Warner AUS 2011 2023 184 8 25 8132 71.37 70.18
6 Q de Kock SA 2014 2021 91 6 6 3300 70.94 67.90
7 ST Jayasuriya SL 1991 2007 188 14 14 6973 65.24 67.36
8 Sarfraz Ahmed PAK 2010 2023 90 13 4 2992 70.28 66.97
9 CH Lloyd WI 1966 1984 175 14 19 4327 57.78 66.45
10 S Dhawan IND 2013 2018 58 1 7 2315 66.95 65.41
11 TM Dilshan SL 1999 2013 145 11 16 5492 65.53 64.60
12 GS Sobers WI 1954 1974 160 21 26 2407 51.55 64.31
13 AL Logie WI 1983 1991 78 9 2 2303 57.79 63.39
14 M Azharuddin IND 1984 2000 147 9 22 5720 57.80 63.06
15 BB McCullum NZ 2004 2016 176 9 12 6450 64.64 62.52
16 Zaheer Abbas PAK 1969 1985 124 11 12 3830 55.23 62.48
17 BC Lara WI 1990 2006 232 6 34 11953 60.51 62.22
18 Saeed Anwar PAK 1990 2001 91 2 11 4052 56.14 61.94
19 Aamer Sohail PAK 1992 2000 83 3 5 2823 55.59 61.38
20 Shakib Al Hasan BAN 2007 2022 120 7 5 4368 61.56 60.45
21 KP Pietersen ENG 2005 2014 181 8 23 8181 61.72 60.37
22 KR Stackpole AUS 1966 1974 80 5 7 2012 48.38 60.37
23 MJ Prior ENG 2007 2014 123 21 7 4099 61.67 59.66
24 GS Chappell AUS 1970 1984 151 19 24 6740 51.53 59.65
25 ML Hayden AUS 1994 2009 184 14 30 8625 60.10 59.13


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