Steve Smith of Australia holds the most runs in a Test series in the record book’s data: 774 in The Ashes of 2019, from just 4 Tests and 7 innings. The table draws on 895 men’s Tests grouped into 374 series, from Dec 2001 to Sep 2026.
The top three are separated by only a handful of runs. Smith also made 769 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy of 2014/15, and Alastair Cook of England made 766 in The Ashes of 2010/11. Shubman Gill’s 754 in England in 2025 is the best by an Indian.
Highest Runs in a Test Series: Who Sits on Top
Smith’s 774 averaged 110.57, held 3 hundreds and peaked at 211. His 769 in 2014/15 took the same 4 Tests but one more innings, and it included 4 hundreds. Smith appears three times in the top 25, adding 687 in 2017/18. Only Kohli, with four entries, appears more often.
Cook’s 766 is the highest in a five-Test series, just ahead of Gill’s 754. Both played 5 Tests, but Cook batted only 7 times to Gill’s 10, which shows in their averages: 127.67 for Cook and 75.40 for Gill.
Australia dominate the list with twelve of the 25 entries. India have six, England four, and Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand one each. The 2015/16 Trans-Tasman Trophy alone produced three entries: David Warner’s 631, AC Voges’ 594 and Kane Williamson’s 570.
Most Runs in a Test Series
| Batter | Runs | M | Inns | HS | 100s | Avg | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPD Smith Australia | 774 | 4 | 7 | 211 | 3 | 110.57 | The Ashes (2019) |
| SPD Smith Australia | 769 | 4 | 8 | 192 | 4 | 128.17 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2014/15) |
| AN Cook England | 766 | 5 | 7 | 235* | 3 | 127.67 | The Ashes (2010/11) |
| Shubman Gill India | 754 | 5 | 10 | 269 | 4 | 75.40 | India tour of England (2025) |
| YBK Jaiswal India | 712 | 5 | 9 | 214* | 2 | 89.00 | England tour of India (2023/24) |
| V Kohli India | 692 | 4 | 8 | 169 | 4 | 86.50 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2014/15) |
| SPD Smith Australia | 687 | 5 | 7 | 239 | 3 | 137.40 | England tour of Australia and New Zealand (2017/18) |
| V Kohli India | 655 | 5 | 8 | 235 | 2 | 109.17 | England in India Test Series (2016/17) |
| Mohammad Yousuf Pakistan | 631 | 4 | 7 | 202 | 3 | 90.14 | Pakistan tour of England and Scotland (2006) |
| DA Warner Australia | 631 | 5 | 9 | 253 | 3 | 70.11 | Trans-Tasman Trophy (2015/16) |
| TM Head Australia | 629 | 5 | 10 | 170 | 3 | 62.90 | The Ashes (2025/26) |
| RR Sarwan West Indies | 626 | 4 | 6 | 291 | 3 | 104.33 | The Wisden Trophy (2008/09) |
| MJ Clarke Australia | 626 | 4 | 6 | 329* | 2 | 125.20 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2011/12) |
| V Kohli India | 610 | 3 | 5 | 243 | 3 | 152.50 | Sri Lanka tour of India (2017/18) |
| AC Voges Australia | 594 | 5 | 9 | 239 | 2 | 99.00 | Trans-Tasman Trophy (2015/16) |
| V Kohli India | 593 | 5 | 10 | 149 | 2 | 59.30 | India tour of Ireland and England (2018) |
| RT Ponting Australia | 576 | 5 | 8 | 196 | 2 | 82.29 | England tour of Australia (2006/07) |
| MJ Clarke Australia | 576 | 3 | 5 | 259* | 2 | 144.00 | South Africa in Australia Test Series (2012/13) |
| MEK Hussey Australia | 570 | 5 | 9 | 195 | 2 | 63.33 | The Ashes (2010/11) |
| KS Williamson New Zealand | 570 | 5 | 10 | 166 | 2 | 63.33 | Trans-Tasman Trophy (2015/16) |
| JE Root England | 564 | 4 | 7 | 180* | 3 | 94.00 | India tour of England (2021) |
| AN Cook England | 562 | 4 | 8 | 190 | 3 | 80.29 | England in India Test Series (2012/13) |
| IR Bell England | 562 | 5 | 10 | 113 | 3 | 62.44 | The Ashes (2013) |
| M Labuschagne Australia | 549 | 3 | 6 | 215 | 2 | 91.50 | Trans-Tasman Trophy (2019/20) |
| RT Ponting Australia | 544 | 4 | 6 | 221 | 2 | 108.80 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2011/12) |
Most Runs in a Test Series for India
| Batter | Runs | M | Inns | HS | 100s | Avg | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | 754 | 5 | 10 | 269 | 4 | 75.40 | India tour of England (2025) |
| YBK Jaiswal | 712 | 5 | 9 | 214* | 2 | 89.00 | England tour of India (2023/24) |
| V Kohli | 692 | 4 | 8 | 169 | 4 | 86.50 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2014/15) |
| V Kohli | 655 | 5 | 8 | 235 | 2 | 109.17 | England in India Test Series (2016/17) |
| V Kohli | 610 | 3 | 5 | 243 | 3 | 152.50 | Sri Lanka tour of India (2017/18) |
| V Kohli | 593 | 5 | 10 | 149 | 2 | 59.30 | India tour of Ireland and England (2018) |
| SC Ganguly | 534 | 3 | 6 | 239 | 2 | 89.00 | Pakistan tour of India (2007/08) |
| KL Rahul | 532 | 5 | 10 | 137 | 2 | 53.20 | India tour of England (2025) |
| RG Sharma | 529 | 3 | 4 | 212 | 3 | 132.25 | South Africa in India Test Series (2019/20) |
| CA Pujara | 521 | 4 | 7 | 193 | 3 | 74.43 | India tour of Australia (2018/19) |
Most Wickets in a Test Series
| Bowler | Wkts | M | Avg | Best | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG Johnson Australia | 37 | 5 | 13.97 | 7/40 | The Ashes (2013/14) |
| SK Warne Australia | 36 | 4 | 17.33 | 6/46 | Australia tour of England and Scotland (2005) |
| R Ashwin India | 32 | 4 | 14.72 | 6/61 | England tour of India (2020/21) |
| JJ Bumrah India | 32 | 5 | 13.06 | 6/76 | India tour of Australia (2024/25) |
| MA Starc Australia | 31 | 5 | 19.94 | 7/58 | The Ashes (2025/26) |
| R Ashwin India | 31 | 4 | 11.13 | 7/66 | Freedom Trophy (2015/16) |
| R Ashwin India | 29 | 4 | 20.10 | 7/103 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2012/13) |
| PJ Cummins Australia | 29 | 5 | 19.62 | 4/32 | The Ashes (2019) |
| Yasir Shah Pakistan | 29 | 3 | 19.03 | 8/41 | New Zealand tour of United Arab Emirates (2018/19) |
| R Ashwin India | 28 | 5 | 30.25 | 6/55 | England in India Test Series (2016/17) |
| HMRKB Herath Sri Lanka | 28 | 3 | 12.75 | 7/64 | Warne-Muralitharan Trophy (2016) |
| R Ashwin India | 27 | 3 | 17.78 | 7/59 | New Zealand in India Test Series (2016/17) |
| BW Hilfenhaus Australia | 27 | 4 | 17.22 | 5/75 | Border-Gavaskar Trophy (2011/12) |
| AR Patel India | 27 | 3 | 10.59 | 6/38 | England tour of India (2020/21) |
| GP Swann England | 26 | 5 | 29.04 | 5/44 | The Ashes (2013) |
| RA Jadeja India | 26 | 5 | 25.85 | 7/48 | England in India Test Series (2016/17) |
| R Ashwin India | 26 | 5 | 24.81 | 5/51 | England tour of India (2023/24) |
| BAW Mendis Sri Lanka | 26 | 3 | 18.38 | 6/117 | India in Sri Lanka Test Series (2008) |
| SR Clark Australia | 26 | 5 | 17.04 | 4/72 | England tour of Australia (2006/07) |
| CR Woakes England | 26 | 4 | 16.73 | 6/70 | Pakistan in England Test Series (2016) |
Most Runs in a Test Series by an Indian Batsman
Gill’s 754 came in the 2025 series in England, the first played for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He made 4 hundreds and a top score of 269. KL Rahul made 532 in the same series, so two Indians are in India’s top 10 from one tour.
Yashasvi Jaiswal is second on 712 in the 2023/24 home series against England. Virat Kohli owns four of India’s top 10: 692 in Australia in 2014/15, 655 against England in 2016/17, 610 against Sri Lanka in 2017/18 and 593 in England in 2018. His 610 came from only 3 Tests and 5 innings, at an average of 152.50, the highest in the overall top 25.
Sourav Ganguly (534 against Pakistan), Rohit Sharma (529 against South Africa) and Cheteshwar Pujara (521 in Australia) complete the list. See the India vs England head to head and the India vs Australia page for the full rivalry records.
Most Wickets in a Test Series
Mitchell Johnson of Australia took 37 wickets in The Ashes of 2013/14, at an average of 13.97 with a best of 7/40. Shane Warne is a single wicket behind with 36 in 4 Tests in England in 2005.
R Ashwin of India appears six times in the top 20, more than any other bowler. His best is 32 in 4 Tests at home to England in 2020/21. Jasprit Bumrah matched that 32 in Australia in 2024/25 at an average of 13.06.
Short series can still produce huge hauls. Yasir Shah of Pakistan took 29 in 3 Tests, with 8/41 the best single return in the table. AR Patel of India took 27 in 3 Tests at 10.59, the cheapest average in the top 20. For single-match hauls, see the best match figures in Tests.
How a Series Is Counted Here
A series is grouped by its tour or event name and season, as the source data labels it. That is why some rows read “India tour of Ireland and England (2018)” or “Pakistan tour of England and Scotland (2006)”: the label covers the whole tour, but only the Test runs count. Totals cover the 374 series since 19 Dec 2001. Afghanistan do not feature, as their matches sit outside the open data.
Series length matters. A 3 match series gives fewer chances, so Kohli’s 610 and Michael Clarke’s 576 in 3 Tests each stand out. Use the M column to compare like with like, and click a heading to sort. Career totals are on the most Test runs page, and more lists are on the Test records hub.
Questions about Most runs in a Test series
Who scored the most runs in a Test series?
Steve Smith of Australia made 774 runs in The Ashes of 2019, the most in the data since Dec 2001. He also made 769 in the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Alastair Cook’s 766 in The Ashes of 2010/11 is third.
Who has the most runs in a Test series for India?
Shubman Gill made 754 runs in India’s 2025 tour of England, with 4 hundreds. Yashasvi Jaiswal is next with 712 against England in 2023/24. Virat Kohli’s best is 692 in Australia in 2014/15.
Which batter scored the most in a 5 match Test series?
Alastair Cook’s 766 in The Ashes of 2010/11 is the highest in a five-Test series in the data. Shubman Gill’s 754 in 2025 and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 712 in 2023/24 also came in 5 Tests.
Which batter scored the most in a 3 match Test series?
Virat Kohli made 610 against Sri Lanka in 2017/18 from 3 Tests, averaging 152.50. Michael Clarke made 576 in 3 Tests against South Africa in 2012/13, and Marnus Labuschagne made 549 in 2019/20.
Which bowler took the most wickets in a Test series?
Mitchell Johnson took 37 wickets in The Ashes of 2013/14. Shane Warne took 36 in 2005, and R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah have both taken 32 for India.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.