Top 4 batsmen fastest to score 27000 runs in international cricket

Only four batsmen have scored over 27000 runs in international cricket.

Having a career as an international batsman that stretches for more than a decade takes immense hard work, a varied skillset and range, and, most importantly, consistency. There have been batters who have had careers that last for even more than 15 years, during which they piled on huge amounts of runs.

Only one batsman has amassed over 30000 runs in international cricket – it is none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Four batsmen overall have scored over 27000 runs at the top level. Of these four, only one took fewer than 600 innings to accomplish this landmark.

In this article, we will look at the four batsmen who have crossed the 27000-run mark in internationals and rank them according to the least number of innings they took to reach this milestone.

List of the batsmen fastest to score 27000 runs in international cricket:

4. Ricky Ponting – 650 innings

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Ponting made his international debut in 1995 and finished as Australia’s leading run-getter in both tests and ODIs. He is also Australia’s highest international run-scorer with 27483 runs.

Ponting took 650 innings to complete 27000 international runs.

Overall, he played 560 matches and batted in 668 innings for Australia, scoring 27483 runs at an average of 45.95. Ponting hit 71 centuries and 146 half-centuries in his illustrious career.

3. Kumar Sangakkara – 648 innings

Kumar Sangakkara is statistically the most successful Sri Lankan batsman of all time, as he finished as his country’s leading ODI and test run-getter. He achieved a lot of success across formats and was one of the best in the business.

The southpaw took 648 innings to reach the milestone of 27000 international runs.

Overall, he played 594 matches in his international career between 2000 and 2015, scoring 28016 runs – only Tendulkar has more runs – at an average of 46.77. Sangakkara notched up 63 centuries and 153 half-centuries in his international career.

2. Sachin Tendulkar – 623 innings

Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction to any cricket fan. Arguably the greatest batsman ever, Tendulkar’s career spanned 24 years (1989-2013) throughout which he broke and created records.

He is the second-fastest batsman to complete 27000 international runs, taking 623 knocks to do so.

Overall, Sachin holds the record for most runs, most matches, most centuries, most half-centuries, and several other batting records. He retired with 34357 runs in his career of 664 international matches. He is the first and only batsman to raise 100 international centuries and has 164 half-centuries as well.

1. Virat Kohli – 594 innings

In September 2024, Virat Kohli broke Tendulkar’s record to become the fastest to reach 27000 international runs. Virat took 594 innings to get to 27000 runs in international cricket.

So far, he has scored 27012 runs in 594 innings with 80 centuries, which is the second-most in the world, and 140 half-centuries. The former Indian captain has been breaking batting records in the past decade with his consistency.

(All stats updated till 30th September, 2024.)

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