About 10 days ago I wrote a post about leading cricketers of this century, which showed that Kumar Sangakkara was the top batsman in both tests and ODIs in the past 15 years of the game.

No one has scored more runs than Sangakkara has in either format since the beginning of this millennium. Not Sachin, Not Lara, Not Ponting. No one.

With his 10th double century in test cricket this past week, Sangakkara showed why he is the best batsman in the game today.

No one in the history of test cricket has scored this many double centuries besides the all time great Sir Donald Bradman.

Sangakkara sits firmly at number two in that list, and he may well go on to become the first cricketer to break Sir Don's record.


At the conclusion of the first test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the ICC updated the test rankings for batsmen and Sangakkara rightfully found himself at the top of the pile. The number 1 ranked test batsman in the world, and surely the bets test batsman to play the game this century.

He may not end his career among the top 3 or 4 run scorers in test cricket, but he will definitely retire with the best test average, by some distance, among the top 10 run scorers in test cricket. And the best test average for anyone with more than 7,000 runs in test cricket. And the third best average for anyone who has scored more than 3,000 runs in test cricket.


Sangakkara will surely go past Brian Lara in the next test against Pakistan, but whether he will be able to go past the next three in the list will depend on how long he continues to play test cricket.

With Jayawardene gone after this series, it will not be much longer before Sangakkara also retires from test cricket. And there is enough hint around the Sri Lankan camp that both the stalwarts will end their careers after next year's ODI World Cup.

If Sangakkara does decide to play another season or two, there is a high chance that he will retire as the second highest run scorer in test cricket, behind Sachin Tendulkar.

The best batsman this century, and arguably the best batsman ever. Hail King Sanga!

Younis Khan is a legend. We have known about his legendary status for some time now and have always rated him very highly. You might want to read the following articles along with this piece.

Why Younis Khan is King
The Real King Khan
A Legendary Match Winner

Even though he has had some detractors in the past, there are few people now who will not agree with Younis Khan's greatness in International Cricket.

Today, in his 90th Test, Younis Khan knocked his 24th test century, which put him level with Mohammad Yousuf, and only 1 behind Inzamam's Pakistan record. During the course of his innings, Younis Khan also went past Yousuf's test runs tally to become the 3rd highest run scorer for Pakistan in tests.


It is quite interesting to note the similarity between the stats of Younis and Yousuf. It is really a shame that Yousuf did not play more matches for Pakistan. Politics, as well as, his own selfishness resulted in cutting short his career. Fortunately, Younis has withstood all that, and can do so for another few years before he hangs up his boots.

It is also a shame that Pakistan does not play as much test cricket as other countries like Australia, England, and India. One can only wonder where Younis Khan would be if he had played as much test cricket as the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Brian Lara.

Taking a look at how Younis compares with test batting, you will be surprised to see some of the numbers.

Younis Khan is the leading run scorer among all test batsmen who have played 90 tests or less.


Younis has not only scored more runs than his contemporaries, but he has also average better than the likes of Hashim Amla, Mike Hussey, and Rohan Kanhai.

Younis Khan has performed better than most of the top 10 run scorers in Test cricket


At the same stage as Younis Khan, i.e. after 90 tests, out of the leading 10 test run scorers, only Sangakkara, Dravid, Sachin, and Lara had scored more runs than Younis Khan. Moreover, only Sachin Tendulkar had knocked more centuries than Younis Khan after 90 tests.

After 90 tests, Younis Khan has more runs than Ponting, Kallis, Border, and Waugh had; and more centuries than Sangakkara, Dravid, Lara, Ponting, and Kallis had.

Younis Khan has also performed better than the likes of Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, and Michael Clarke, the current generation of batsmen who are expected (or were in the case of KP) to go on and become one of the leading run scorers in test cricket.


Younis Khan has scored more runs than Cook, KP, and Clarke had after 90 tests. Younis has also scored the same number of centuries as Cook, and more centuries than KP and Clarke after 90 tests.

Younis Khan is 36 on paper, and close to 40 in reality, meaning that he does not have a lot more test cricket left in him. It is such a damn shame that in a 14 year career, he has played only 90 tests, while the likes of Cook, KP, and Clarke, who debuted way after him have gone well past a 100 tests.

Can you even imagine the amount of runs and centuries that Younis Khan would have scored had he played as much test cricket as any of these other batsmen?

I don't think he can get to 10,000 test runs given the little test cricket Pakistan play, but I sure do hope that he plays a 100 tests and goes on to become Pakistan's leading run scorer in test cricket, because if there is anyone who deserves that recognition, it is Younis Khan.

Pakistan have embarked on yet another tour to Sri Lanka with the first test starting tomorrow at Galle. The two countries are familiar foes having played each other regularly in the recent past, yet this two test series has a lot at stake for both the teams.

Not much to choose between the two sides

The last test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was played in the UAE and ended in a draw after Pakistan completed a record chase on the final evening of the series. In the past 3 years, the teams have played 3 test series with Pakistan winning one, Sri Lanka winning one, and a drawn series.

If that isn't close enough, the last 14 test series between the two teams comprises of 4 drawn series, 5 won by Pakistan, and 5 won by Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, these 14 test series played between them over the past 22 years has not witnessed either team win two consecutive series.



That shows that there is not much to choose there. Both teams, however, are going to be highly motivated for the upcoming tests given the significance attached to the series.

Significance for Pakistan

For Pakistan, this is going to be their first test series since becoming the number 3 test side in the world, and they would want to keep their ranking intact, and look to improve it going forward.

Furthermore, Pakistan have not won a test in Sri Lanka for 8 years. The last time they won a test in the island was in 2006, when Mohammad Asif's magical bowing blew away the Lankans. Since then Pakistan has played 6 tests in Sri Lanka, losing 3 and drawing 3.

Pakistan are looking to turn their fortunes around this time and want to end their drought in Sri Lanka.

Significance for Sri Lanka

For Sri Lanka, this series holds a lot of significance considering that it is Mahela Jayawardene's swansong. He has already announced his retirement from test cricket and these two tests against Pakistan will be his last two. He would want to leave a major mark on his last test series, while Sri Lanka will want to win the series for him,

Moreover, Sri Lanka are coming from a rare series loss at home at the hands of South Africa and they will want to ensure that they don't lose another series at home.

With so much at stake, both teams will be looking to gain a lead, which can be a series winning one, in what is only a two test series.

Sachin Tendulkar has scored more runs than anyone in tests and in ODIs. Muralitharan has taken more wickets than anyone in tests and ODIs. Sir Donald Bradman has the highest ever average in test cricket.

Those records will go down in history as the top records in international cricket. It is also highly likely that those records will never be broken.

It is worthwhile, however, to see how all these records stack up in this century.

Do you know who is the highest run scorer in tests in this century? Who is the highest run scored in ODIs in this century? Who is the highest wicket taker?

Lets take a look.

These records are for all tests and ODIs played since 1st January 2000.

Leading Test Batsmen in this Century


Kumar Sangakkara sits firmly on top of this list. With everyone else among the top 10 leading run scorers in this century retired from test cricket, or nearing retirement, it will take some time before someone surpasses Sangakkara's run tally.

His compatriot, Mahela Jayawardene will play only two more tests, while Sehwag's test career seems well behind him. Chanderpaul is unlikely to overtake Sangakkara over the next year or two that he has left in him.

Even in terms of averages, Sangakkara is right up there with only Kallis slightly above him.

Sachin Tendulkar, the all time leading run scorer in test cricket, has the lowest average among the 10 leading test averages of this century.

What is interesting to note is that Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam Ul Haq, who were the two mainstays of Pakistan's middle order during the first decade of this century, have test averages that are among the top 5 of this century.

Leading ODI Batsmen in this Century

Just like Sachin Tendulkar leads the all time runs tally for tests and ODIs, Kumar Sangakkara is the leading run scorer in both tests and ODIs in this century.

In ODIs, King Sanga is well ahead of his peers with a 2,000 runs difference between him and the next best, which belongs to his team mate, Mahela Jayawardene.

Sangakkara is undoubtedly the best batsman to play the game in this century. He is well ahead of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Brian Lara.

In terms of averages, however, the Indian Captain and Vice Captain, have shown that they are in a league of their own in ODIs, with both averaging well above 50.

AB de Villiers is also right up there with them with an ODI average just very slightly below 50.

These three are undoubtedly the best ODI players in the game today, if not ever.

It is no surprise that all time greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis appear everywhere among the leading run scorers and among the leading averages in tests and ODIs, but it is interesting to note how their performances compare to their peers in this century.

Leading Test Bowlers in this Century

Muttiah Muralitharan, who is the all time leading wicket taker in test cricket, is also the leading wicket taker in this century, with a vast majority if his 800 test wickets coming in this century. He is well ahead of his peers 181 more test wickets than the next best tally.

His record in this century could well remain the record even by the end of the century, considering that only two bowlers have taken more wickets in their entire careers than Murali's 573 wickets in this century.

Even in terms of bowling averages, Muralitharan's record is impeccable, with only Glen McGrath slightly ahead of him.

It is interesting to note that Shoaib Akhtar is the only bowler with a strike rate of less than 40 in this century. Dale Steyn has a similar strike rate, but no one else comes even close to these two fast bowlers.

Leading ODI Bowlers in this Century

The PCB announced Pakistan's ODI squad for the tour of Sri Lanka over a month and a half before the 1st ODI, which is quite early by PCB's standards. As always the selectors sprung a surprise on everyone by including Younis Khan in the ODI squad, 16 months after Younis played his last ODI game.