10 Unbreakable Records In International Cricket

Breaking and setting new records happens in almost every cricket match. While there are several small numbers that, when surpassed by any cricketer, hardly comes to light, there are other monumental records that gets widely acknowledged. The advent of T20 cricket has especially enabled not only batsmen but also bowlers to play fearless cricket and break records at a breakneck pace.

And then there are records that do seem impossible to break. Whether or not these numbers have been accumulated by the best of the players, even the top-notch cricketers fail to accomplish in their enter career. Hence, these records have gone untouched for several decades as it looks unrealistic to achieve these more than once.

We take a look at 10 Unbreakable Records In International Cricket:

Sachin Tendulkar’s 34357 runs and 100 international centuries:

Sachin Tendulkar is arguably a giant of the sport and amongst the most celebrated cricketing icon of all time. Sachin Tendulkar has seen India’s greatest ups and downs, having debuted in 1989 and retiring in 2013. He is not only the top run-getter in Test and ODI cricket, but also the most-capped player in the two formats. Across three formats, Tendulkar has 34357 runs, including 15921 in Tests and 18426 in ODIs.

Sachin Tendulkar also remains the highest century-maker in international cricket, becoming the first batsman to reach 100 international tons. The 48-year old reached the milestone of 100 hundreds in March 2012 against Bangladesh. While Tendulkar’s landmark did not result in India’s victory, it became a historic game for the world. The record for most runs and tons would indeed be a daunting one for any current or future player.

Jacques Kallis’ all-round record of 25534 runs and 577 wickets:

Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis was one of the most complete cricketers. Jacques Kallis not only accumulated a truckload of runs at a crucial position of number four in Tests or batting at the top in limited-overs, but also chipped in with wickets, making himself undroppable. The 45-year old featured in a whopping 166 Tests, 328 ODIs, and 25 T20Is from 1995-2014.

In 17 years of international cricket, Jacques Kallis amassed 25534 runs across three formats and snared 577 wickets. No other all-rounder in history has displayed such longevity and accumulated such mind-boggling numbers. Hence, Kallis has gone down like a diamond in South African cricket’s ranks, whose presence is missed and it remains uncertain whether any cricketer will achieve what he has.

Brian Lara’s 400 not out in Test cricket:

In April 2004 against England at Antigua, former West Indian captain Brian Lara reached where no batsman ever did. Brian Lara batted at number three and made history by scoring the first-ever quadruple hundred in Test cricket. West Indies declared at 751 after batting for 202 overs, with Lara remaining unbeaten at 400 off 582 deliveries.

While the southpaw was lauded by the cricketing fraternity for his accomplishment, he also copped criticism for playing for his records as the match resulted in a draw. Nevertheless, Lara’s record stands to date and David Warner was the most recent candidate to come close to breaking the record. But it’s unlikely to go down soon as captains today aim for a win instead of allowing batsmen to bat as long as they want.

Yuvraj Singh’s fastest T20I fifty from 12 balls:

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was at his brutal best when India locked horns with England in the group stage of the 2007 T20 World Cup. The crowds at Durban was in awe of Yuvraj Singh, who smashed Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over, becoming the first batsman in the history of T20I cricket to do so. In doing so, the southpaw also created the record for the fastest fifty in T20Is.

Yuvraj Singh reached there in 12 deliveries and ended with 58 off, only 16 balls. While modern-day batsmen smash boundaries at will and exploit the batting-friendly conditions, making a half-century in 12 balls still seems a long way off. Thus, it looks like an unlikely record to surpass for most batsmen today.

Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 1357 wickets in international cricket:

Muttiah Muralitharan is arguably the greatest off-spinner to play international cricket. Throughout his 19-year career, not many batsmen have managed to get the better of him and even in alien conditions, Muttiah Muralitharan was the captain’s go-to bowler. The 49-year old remains the highest wicket-taker in Test and ODI cricket.

The former Sri Lankan off-spinner has taken a whopping 800 wickets in Test and 534 in ODIs. Muralitharan crossed the 800-wicket mark in his final Test, dismissing Pragyan Ojha. Amongst the current bowlers, James Anderson’s 901 international scalps comes closest to Muralitharan’s 1357 wickets; hence, it looks like an impossible one to break.

Lasith Malinga taking four wickets in four balls twice:

Sri Lankan tearaway pacer Lasith Malinga might have lost his magic as of now; however, he was once a terror to even the best batsmen. Lasith Malinga searing yorkers delivered at a rapid pace to rearrange the stumps are a treat to watch. The right-arm paceman holds the unique record of dismissing four batsmen on the trot twice in international cricket.

Lasith Malinga did the first time in the 2007 World Cup against South Africa, removing Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, and Makhaya Ntini. He returned in 2019 to inflict misery on New Zealand when he dismissed Colin Munro, Hamish Rutherford, Colin de Grandhomme, and Ross Taylor in a T20I. Thus, this particular record looks like an improbable one to break.

Jim Laker – 19 wickets in a Test:

Former England spinner Jim Laker famously ran riot over the Australian batting line-up when the two teams met in Manchester in 1956. After England made 459 in their first innings, Jim Laker took nine wickets to bundle Australia out for 84 in their first innings. The visitors fared slightly better in their second innnings, but Laker once again starred.

The off-spinner went one step ahead and picked up all ten wickets to bowl Australia out for 205, delivering for England a win by an innings and 170 runs. The Yorkshire spinner’s figures of 68-27-90-19 are the best for any bowler in a Test. Pakistan’s Yasir Shah, who once took 14 scalps in a Test, has come the closest in recent times. Hence, this seems like an unbreakable record too.

AB de Villiers’ fastest ODI hundred from 31 balls:

AB de Villiers is a modern-day great in limited-overs cricket and he showed why against the West Indies in Johannesburg in early 2015. Shahid Afridi’s record of a 37-ball hundred in ODI stayed intact for 18 years until Corey Anderson broke it by doing it in 36 deliveries in 2014 against the West Indies. Former South African skipper AB de Villiers did it in six balls less in 2015.

West Indies once again bore the brunt of it as De Villiers hardly gave anything away in his 44-ball 149. The right-handed batsman came to bat at the 39th over when opener Rilee Rossouw had scored a hundred and stitched a 247-run stand with Hashim Amla. De Villiers, batting at number three, pounced on the bowlers from the get-go and started blasting sixes. His stunning knock contained nine fours and 16 maximums, with a strike rate of 338.63.

Rohit Sharma’s 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014:

Indian opener Rohit Sharma rewrote the record books in November 2014 when he took a listless Sri Lanka to the cleaners. Rohit Sharma clattered his second double hundred in One-day internationals, his first against Sri Lanka, and went on to smash the highest score by a batsman in the format. The right-handed batsman surpassed Virender Sehwag’s 219 he made in 2011.

Rohit Sharma flattened Sri Lanka, who gave him a lifeline when on four as Thisara Perera dropped a regulation chance at third man. The Nagpur-born opener took the tourists to the sword, hammering 33 fours and nine sixes in his 173-ball knock, en route to India’s 404 in 50 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka ended up with a total less than Rohit’s individual score, losing by 153 runs.

Don Bradman’s Test batting average of 99.04:

Former Australian batting legend Sir Donald Bradman remains one of the greatest cricketing icons and known for his insatiable appetite for runs. Though Sir Donald Bradman featured in only 52 Tests from 1928-1948, he has a batting average of 99.94, compiling 6996 runs with 29 centuries and 13 fifties.

The right-handed batsman achieved a career-high rating of 961 points in Test cricket, while his first-class batting average stood at 95.14. He could have reached 100 had he scored four runs; however, he departed for a duck. Amongst the current crop, Bradman’s fellow countryman Steve Smith has the highest average of 61.80. But even for Smith, reaching that high a level is improbable.

Also Read: 5 Batsmen With The Most T20 Runs Without Scoring A Century