Cricket in Numbers: The Elite Club of 10,000+ Runs in Both ODIs and Tests

This is not just a rare milestone that can be achieved with the bat; it also showcases the adaptability and resilience of the player, marked with incredible consistency to reach this milestone across two different formats. It also showcases the excellence in two different formats of the game: Tests, where the matches can go up to five days, and ODIs, where a team can play up to 50 overs. Let’s take a look at this list of players who have breached the 10K runs mark in both Test and ODI formats.

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar, the Master Blaster, stands at the top of this list, as he not only scored more than 10K runs across both formats. He also managed to breach the 15K runs mark in both Tests and ODI formats for the Indian cricket team. Tendulkar has scored an impressive total of 15921 runs in Tests and 18426 runs in ODIs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	200	329	15,921	248*	53.78	–	51	68
ODIs	463	452	18,426	200*	44.83	86.23	49	96

Even years after his retirement, he holds the top spot for most runs in the Test format. He has scored 15921 runs in 200 Test matches, at an average of 53.78, with 51 centuries and 68 half-centuries. His mark of 51 centuries in the longest format of the game remains unbroken, as none of the players have even managed to get close to the same.

The Master Blaster also dominated in the ODI format with his class, scoring 18426 runs in 463 matches at an average of 44.83, with 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries. His contributions for the Indian team still remain historic, and just from the Test and ODI formats, he has managed to end his career on a high note with 100 centuries in total.

Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting, one of the most successful captains for the Australian team, also has his name in the elite list of players with more than 10K runs in both Test and ODI formats. Not only did he help Australia dominate in the international format and win the World Cups, but he also helped his team by leading them from the front. In his Test career, he has scored 13378 runs, and in ODIs, he has scored 13704 runs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	168	287	13,378	257	51.85	58.72	41	62
ODIs	375	365	13,704	164	42.03	80.39	30	82

Ricky Ponting was dominant in the Test format, where he played 168 Tests and scored a massive total of 13378 runs for the Australian cricket team. Along with that, he also managed to score runs at an average of 51.85, with 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries. Whether it was England, India, South Africa, or any other team, Ponting shining with the bat was common in every game.

He continued his brilliance in the ODI format, as he ended his career scoring 13704 runs in 375 matches at an average of 42.03, with 30 centuries and 82 half-centuries. In the ICC World Cups, he played 46 matches and scored 1743 runs at an average of 45.86, with 5 centuries and 6 half-centuries, as he helped the team to win three consecutive World Cup titles.

Jacques Kallis

Of all the players you will find in this rare milestone list, there is just one all-rounder who managed to get his name, and it is none other than Jacques Kallis. The Proteas all-rounder dominated for his team with both bat and ball, which helped him reach this elite milestone list. He ended his career with 13289 Test runs and 11579 ODI runs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	166	280	13,289	224	55.37	45.97	45	58
ODIs	328	314	11,579	139	44.36	72.89	17	86

In the Test format, Jacques Kallis managed to score 13289 runs in 166 matches at an average of 55.37, which is much higher than the average being held by the greatest batsmen. Along with that, he also managed to score 45 centuries and 58 half-centuries, while also taking 292 wickets throughout his Test career. 

Not only did he flourish in the Test format, but his form for the Proteas in the ODI format remains unmatched. Kallis ended up scoring 11579 runs in 328 matches at an average of 44.36, with 17 centuries and 86 half-centuries, dominating the game even after coming down the order. He had already set high standards not just for the bowlers, but also for the batsmen of the upcoming generation.

Rahul Dravid

One of India’s finest top-order batsmen and the Head Coach under whom the team won the T20 World Cup 2024, Rahul Dravid, also presents himself in this elite list. Known as the Wall, he utilised his classy batting across both formats of the game, which helped him to score 13288 runs in the Test format and 10889 runs in the ODI format.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	164	286	13,288	270	52.31	42.51	36	63
ODIs	344	318	10,889	153	39.16	71.23	12	83

Rahul Dravid’s nickname, the Wall, was given to him for his batting style in the Test format, where even the fastest balls were defended with ease. He ended his Test career by scoring 13288 runs in 164 matches at an average of 52.31, with 36 centuries and 63 half-centuries.

Besides the Test format, Dravid also had a vital role for the Indian team in the ODIs. He played a total of 344 ODI matches for the Indian cricket team, where he managed to score 10889 runs at an average of 39.16, with 12 centuries and 83 half-centuries. Although he didn’t score many centuries, he was able to give numerous important knocks, helping the Indian team to secure wins.

Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka’s finest wicket-keeper, also has his name in the Elite list of players with more than 10K runs in both Test and ODI formats of the game. He didn’t only help the team with important catches and stumpings, he also contributed at his best with the bat. Therefore, he ended his career with a total of 12400 runs in Tests and 14234 runs in ODIs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	134	233	12,400	319	57.40	54.19	38	52
ODIs	404	380	14,234	169	41.98	78.86	25	93

In the Test format, his skills were unmatched by any other wicket-keeper in his time, as he ended up scoring 12400 runs in just 134 Test matches. Along with that, he also had an average of 57.40, among the highest averages of all-time, and scored 38 centuries and 52 half-centuries in the longest format of the game.

Just like his form in the Test format, Kumar Sangakkara also dominated in the ODIs for Sri Lanka. He played 404 ODI games and scored 14234 runs at an average of 41.98, with 25 centuries and 93 half-centuries. In the World Cup, he played 37 matches for Sri Lanka and scored 1532 runs at an average of 56.74, with 5 centuries and 7 half-centuries.

Mahela Jayawardene

Kumar Sangakkara is not the only Sri Lankan player to have his name in this list, as Mahela Jayawardene, one of the best top-order batsmen for Sri Lanka, has also achieved this rare milestone. Sangakkara and Jayawardene were known as the deadly duo of the Lankan line-up. Jayawardene scored 11814 runs in the Test format and 12650 runs in ODIs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	149	252	11,814	374	49.84	51.45	34	50
ODIs	448	418	12,650	144	33.37	78.96	19	77

Taking a look at his style, Jayawardene is a classic Test player for the Sri Lankan team. He played 149 Test matches and scored 11814 runs at an average of 49.84 per innings. What’s more impressive about his career is still his high score of 374, which came against South Africa. Along with that, he also managed to score 34 centuries and 50 half-centuries in this format.

His form was still seen by the fans in the ODI format, but it was not as effective as Tests. Jayawardene played 448 ODI matches for the team and scored 12650 runs at an average of 33.37, with 19 centuries and 77 half-centuries. In the World Cups, he scored 1100 runs in 40 matches at an average of 35.48, with 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries.

Brian Lara

Every list with a rare milestone started with a legend, and in this case, it is the Caribbean batsman, Brian Lara. There are no words to define the level of dominance he helped West Indies to create in the international format, scoring runs against the top bowlers of that time without any fear. Lara ended his career with 11953 runs in Tests and 10405 runs in ODIs.

Format	Matches	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate	100s	50s
Tests	131	232	11,953	400*	52.88	60.51	34	48
ODIs	299	289	10,405	169	40.48	79.51	19	63

He remains a pinnacle for various stars in the Test format, having scored 11953 runs in 131 matches at an average of 52.88 per innings. Along with that, he also scored 34 centuries and 48 half-centuries in this format, scoring runs in every country he visited. One record of Lara that remains unbreakable is his 400 not out in an innings.

Brian Lara also extended his dominance for the West Indies in the ODI format, as he scored 10405 runs in 299 matches at an average of 40.48 runs per innings. Along with that, he also scored 19 centuries and 68 half-centuries in this format, helping the West Indies to secure crucial wins. He also played 34 World Cup matches for the team, and scored 1225 runs at an average of 42.24, with 2 centuries and 7 half-centuries.