Top 10 Players With Most Runs in International Cricket (Updated)

Players with the most runs in international cricket are those who have scored consistently for many years at the highest level. Having the most international runs in cricket shows a player’s skill, patience, and ability to perform in all formats of the game. These cricketers have played important roles for their teams and delivered many memorable innings. Their achievements make them legends of the sport and continue to inspire cricket fans around the world.

Currently, Sachin Tendulkar has the most runs in international cricket in all formats. He has been followed by Chase Master, Virat Kohli, who has recently crosssed 28,000 runs mark in international cricket and now became 2nd highest runs scorer.

List of Most International Runs in Cricket (Updated)

This list features the players with the most international runs in cricket, highlighting legends who have consistently scored across all formats. Sachin Tendulkar leads the chart with an incredible 34,357 runs, setting records that have inspired generations. These players have left a lasting mark on cricket with their skill, dedication, and memorable performances.

Which Player has the Most Runs in International Cricket?

Indian legend, Sachin Tendulkar, stands at the top of the list of most runs in international cricket in all formats. He represented India from 1989 to 2013. Tendulkar scored 34,357 runs across Tests, One-Day Internationals, and T20 Internationals. His ability to adapt to different formats, conditions, and bowling attacks saw him smash 15,921 runs in Test cricket and 18,426 runs in ODIs.

He is way ahead of all the other batters, including Kumar Sangakkara and Ricky Ponting, who both crossed the 27,000-run mark. Modern-day legend Virat Kohli is the only present cricketer in pursuit of the record. Yet, the difference remains vast between the two Indian icons.

10. Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 21,032 Runs

Sri Lankan veteran Sanath Jayasuriya is among the batters with the most runs in international cricket, which shows his longevity and his impact on the game. Representing Sri Lanka for more than two decades, from 1989 to 2011, Jayasuriya scored 21,032 runs across all international formats, establishing himself as one of the most destructive batsmen of his era.

His biggest contribution came in ODI cricket, where he scored 13,430 runs in 445 matches, smashing 28 centuries and playing a central role in transforming how opening batters approached the format. In Test cricket, Jayasuriya was equally effective, scoring 6,973 runs in 110 matches, including a career-best 340.

9. Joe Root | England | 22,166 Runs

The English sensation of the modern era, Joe Root, positions himself among the batsmen with the most international runs in cricket. Since breaking into the England side in 2012, Root has been the backbone of their batting across formats, scoring 22,166 international runs and continuing to add to his tally. His strongest format has been Test cricket, where he has scored close to 14,000 runs in over 160 matches.

Root is known for his ability to bat long and has registered 60 centuries at an average of nearly 50 across formats. In ODI cricket, he has been equally influential, scoring over 7,300 runs and becoming England’s all-time leading run-scorer in the format.

8. Brian Lara | West Indies | 22,358 Runs

Brian Lara’s name is among the greats of the game. He represented the West Indies from 1990 to 2007, and scored 22,358 runs in international cricket, carrying his team’s batting through an era of transition. His impactful format was Test cricket, where he managed 11,953 runs in 131 matches at an average above 50.

Lara remains the only player to score 400 not out in a Test match, which is the highest individual score in the format’s history, alongside his earlier world record of 375 runs. In ODI cricket, he was equally reliable, scoring 10,405 runs in 299 matches.

7. Rahul Dravid | India | 24,208 Runs

Indian veteran Rahul Dravid was widely referred to as The Wall because of his strong defensive technique, and is among the players with the most runs in international cricket. Over a career from 1996 to 2012, he scored 24,208 international runs in 509 matches. During this period, Dravid registered 48 centuries and 146 half-centuries, with a highest score of 270.

His strongest impact came in Test cricket, where Dravid managed 13,288 runs at an average above 50, with 36 hundreds against the best bowlers in the world. In the ODI arena, he added 10,889 runs, adapting with solid technique to meet the demands of a quicker format.

6. Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 25,534 Runs

Proteas legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis occupies a unique place in international cricket, regarded as one of the best all-rounders in the world. He represented South Africa from 1995 to 2014. He featured in 519 international matches and scored 25,534 runs across formats. This places him among the batters with the most runs in international cricket in all formats.

Throughout his career, Kallis smashed 62 international hundreds along with 149 fifties, with a highest score of 224. In Test cricket, he scored 13,289 runs at an average above 55. His ODI record was equally impressive, as he managed 11,579 runs at an average of 44.36. Alongside his runs, he claimed 577 international wickets, making him one of the rare cricketers to dominate with both bat and ball at the highest level.

5. Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 25,957 Runs

Mahela Jayawardene has a legacy as one of Sri Lanka’s most graceful batters. From his international debut in 1997 until his retirement in 2015, he played for Sri Lanka in 652 matches across formats, scoring 25,957 runs.

In the longest format, Jayawardene was a pillar of Sri Lanka’s batting lineup, scoring 11,814 Test runs at an average of 49.9, with 34 hundreds and 50 half-centuries. His iconic 374 against South Africa in 2006 stands as the highest Test score by a right-handed batter and remains one of the most remarkable innings in the game. In One Day Internationals, he scored 12,650 runs with 19 centuries and 77 fifties.

4. Ricky Ponting | Australia | 27,483 Runs

One of the best captain in the world, Ricky Ponting, remains one of the most dominant batters in the history of international cricket. He featured for Australia from 1995 to 2012, playing 560 international matches and scoring 27,483 runs across formats, placing him fourth on the list of most runs in international cricket. Over his career, he managed 71 centuries and 146 half-centuries.

Ponting was particularly remarkable in Test cricket, where his aggressive approach and on-field presence established him as one of Australia’s greatest-ever batters.

3. Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 28,016 Runs

Former Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara’s international career was nothing short of remarkable. He featured in 594 matches for Sri Lanka between 2000 and 2015, and scored 28,016 international runs. His consistency is highlighted by 63 centuries and 153 half-centuries across formats.

In Test cricket, Sangakkara reached his peak with over 12,000 runs at an average exceeding 57. His highest score of 319 remains one of the finest examples of batting in modern cricket. He was one of the most technically perfect batters of his generation.

2. Virat Kohli | India | 28,215 Runs

One of the finest batters of the present generation, Virat Kohli’s rise in international cricket is marked by an unmatched hunger for big runs. Since making his debut in 2008, Kohli has played 559 international matches and compiled 28,215 runs across formats, establishing himself as one of the best batsmen in the world.

His numbers reflect his unreal consistency, as he has managed 85 centuries and 146 half-centuries. What separates Kohli from many of the current batters is his effectiveness across all conditions and formats.

1. Sachin Tendulkar | India | 34,357 Runs

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is arguably one of the finest batsmen to grace the game. Tendulkar’s dominance in international cricket is best understood through the longevity of his run-scoring record. Across 664 matches, he has achieved a massive 34,357 runs, which still stands as the highest in the history of the game. With a career of over two decades from 1989 to 2013, he faced one of the most elite bowling attacks and scored 100 international centuries and 164 half-centuries.