The batsmen who have scored the most runs for their teams during the longest innings of Test cricket are among the best ever. They knew when to take advantage of a bowler. The bowlers made an effort to be economical, but the hitters were too skilled to miss out on chances to score. So let’s look at the test cricket innings with the most expensive overs.
IND v ENG: Jasprit Bumrah – 35 runs
During the second day of the rescheduled fifth Test between England and India at Edgbaston on July 1, Stuart Broad bowled the most expensive over in Test cricket, conceding 35 runs in an over. Jasprit Bumrah, the captain of India, scored 29 of those runs, including three fours and two sixes, to surpass Brian Lara’s previous record of 28 runs in an over against South Africa’s Robin Peterson in 2003. Additionally, that was the expensive test cricket over.
SA v WI: Brian Lara – 28 runs
In this final over of the third day of this test match from South Africa’s Robin Pieterson, Brian Lara was at the pinnacle of his imperious form. Graeme Smith gambled, and the outcome was disastrous for South Africa. In the over’s opening ball, Brian Lara hit a well-timed four. Then, in the following two balls, he smashed huge sixes to up the ante. Finally, in the over’s final three balls, Lara once more hit three sharp fours to make it a 28 run over, which helped him reach his double hundred.
SA v ENG: Keshav Maharaj – 28 runs
On Day 3 of the third Test match between England and South Africa at St. George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, England’s captain Joe Root claimed four wickets. On Day 4, though, all-around spin bowler Keshav Maharaj took him to account.
Before blasting back-to-back sixes off Root, Maharaj hammered three consecutive boundaries. Four byes were recorded on the final delivery, and Root retired from the fray. Before being run out by Sam Curran, Maharaj went on to score his second Test fifty.
AUS v ENG: George Bailey – 28 runs
In one of the most memorable innings in test cricket, George Bailey hit James Anderson for a whopping 28 runs in Perth, which was something no one ever imagined would happen to him in his entire career. George Bailey hit two sixes in the first two balls of the over. The next two balls went for two runs each, but George Bailey once more hit James Anderson out of the ground for two big sixes in the final two balls of the over.
IND vPAK: Shahid Afridi – 27 runs
Even though he was only a part-time bowler, Shahid Afridi was more effective than the top pitchers. With the bat, he was incredibly unreliable. On his day, he could destroy any bowling offence, though.
Afridi’s rage was targeted at Harbhajan Singh during India’s 2006 tour of Pakistan. In the opening innings of the first Test in Lahore, he scored 27 runs off of Harbhajan.
Afridi hit Harbhajan for four straight sixes in the 136th over, while the fifth and sixth deliveries produced two and one runs, respectively. In just 78 balls, Afridi reached his century as the match concluded in a draw.
