International cricket recognizes three formats: Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
Combined career totals across these formats measure batting excellence at the highest level.
Run accumulation requires sustained performance over multiple years.
Players must maintain technical skills, physical fitness, and mental strength across varying match conditions, opposition quality, and career phases.
This document presents verified run-scoring records as of January 2026.
Data includes all-time rankings, individual player profiles, format-specific leaders, and country-wise records.
Statistics reflect the latest updates following Virat Kohli’s advancement to the second position on the all-time list.
Most Runs In International Cricket In All Formats
Top 10 Most Runs in International Cricket 2026
| Rank | Player | Country | Total Runs | Career Span | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 34,357 | 1989-2013 | Retired |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 28,068 | 2008-Present | Active |
| 3 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 28,016 | 2000-2015 | Retired |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 27,483 | 1995-2012 | Retired |
| 5 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 25,957 | 1997-2015 | Retired |
| 6 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 25,534 | 1995-2014 | Retired |
| 7 | Rahul Dravid | India | 24,208 | 1996-2012 | Retired |
| 8 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 22,358 | 1990-2007 | Retired |
| 9 | Joe Root | England | 21,774 | 2012-Present | Active |
| 10 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 21,032 | 1989-2011 | Retired |
Most Runs In International Cricket 2026 in All Formats
1. Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 34,357 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 200 | 15,921 | 53.78 | 51 | 248* |
| ODIs | 463 | 18,426 | 44.83 | 49 | 200* |
| T20Is | 1 | 10 | 10.00 | 0 | 10 |
Career highlights:
- Debut: November 1989 at age 16
- First Test century: August 1990 (119 vs England)
- 10,000 ODI runs: March 1999 (first player)
- 30,000 international runs: October 2008 (first player)
- First ODI double century: February 2010 (200*)
- 100th international century: March 2012
- Retirement: November 2013, after 664 matches
- Total career span: 24 years
2. Virat Kohli (India) – 28,068 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 127 | 9,380 | 48.85 | 30 | 254* |
| ODIs | 315 | 14,570 | 58.42 | 51 | 183 |
| T20Is | 130 | 4,118 | 52.21 | 1 | 122* |
Career highlights:
- ODI debut: August 2008
- Test debut: June 2011
- First Test century: January 2012 (116 vs Australia)
- First ODI century: November 2011 (107 vs Bangladesh)
- 20,000 international runs: August 2019
- 50th ODI century: November 2023
- Surpassed Sangakkara: January 2026 (innings of 93 vs opponent)
- Current ranking: 2nd all-time
- Active career span: 17 years
- Fifth consecutive ODI fifty-plus score at milestone
3. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 28,016 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 134 | 12,400 | 57.40 | 38 | 319 |
| ODIs | 404 | 14,234 | 41.98 | 25 | 169 |
| T20Is | 56 | 1,382 | 31.40 | 0 | 78 |
Career highlights:
- Debut: July 2000
- First Test century: July 2001 (105 vs Zimbabwe)
- Highest Test score: 287 vs South Africa (February 2006)
- 10,000 ODI runs: January 2009
- 10,000 Test runs: June 2011
- Four consecutive ODI centuries: March 2015 World Cup
- Retirement: August 2015
- Career span: 15 years
- Test average: 57.40 (among the highest for wicketkeepers)
- Test double centuries: 11
4. Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 27,483 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 168 | 13,378 | 51.85 | 41 | 257 |
| ODIs | 375 | 13,704 | 42.03 | 30 | 164 |
| T20Is | 17 | 401 | 28.64 | 0 | 98* |
Career highlights:
- Debut: December 1995
- First Test century: November 1997 (127 vs India)
- World Cup final 140*: March 2003 vs India
- Australian captain: 2004-2011
- World Cup wins: 1999, 2003, 2007 (captain in 2003, 2007)
- 25,000 international runs: February 2009
- Retirement: December 2012
- Career span: 17 years
- Most successful World Cup captain
5. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) – 25,957 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 149 | 11,814 | 49.84 | 34 | 374 |
| ODIs | 448 | 12,650 | 33.37 | 19 | 144 |
| T20Is | 55 | 1,493 | 31.76 | 0 | 100 |
Career highlights:
- Debut: 1997
- Highest Test score: 374 vs South Africa
- Career span: 18 years (1997-2015)
- Retirement: 2015
- Partnership with Sangakkara: Legendary
- Test double centuries: Multiple
- Sri Lanka captain: Multiple periods
6. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 25,534 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 166 | 13,289 | 55.37 | 45 | 224 |
| ODIs | 328 | 11,579 | 44.36 | 17 | 139 |
| T20Is | 25 | 666 | 37.00 | 0 | 73* |
Career highlights:
- Debut: 1995
- All-rounder: Batter and bowler
- Test wickets: 292
- ODI wickets: 273
- Career span: 19 years (1995-2014)
- Retirement: 2014
- Test centuries: 45
- Test average: 55.37
7. Rahul Dravid (India) – 24,208 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 164 | 13,288 | 52.31 | 36 | 270 |
| ODIs | 344 | 10,889 | 39.16 | 12 | 153 |
| T20Is | 1 | 31 | 31.00 | 0 | 31 |
Career highlights:
- Debut: 1996
- Test specialist known as “The Wall”
- Test centuries: 36
- Test average: 52.31
- Career span: 16 years (1996-2012)
- Retirement: 2012
- India captain: Multiple periods
- Wicketkeeper role: Occasional
8. Brian Lara (West Indies) – 22,358 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 131 | 11,953 | 52.88 | 34 | 400* |
| ODIs | 299 | 10,405 | 40.48 | 19 | 169 |
| T20Is | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | – |
Career highlights:
- Debut: December 1990
- Highest Test score: 400* (April 2004) – still stands
- Previous record: 375 (June 1994)
- First-class highest: 501*
- Career span: 17 years (1990-2007)
- Retirement: April 2007
- Record holder: Highest individual Test innings
- West Indies captain: Multiple periods
9. Joe Root (England) – 21,774 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 156 | 12,716 | 50.06 | 35 | 262 |
| ODIs | 174 | 7,095 | 47.30 | 17 | 133* |
| T20Is | 32 | 1,963 | 35.69 | 0 | 90 |
Career highlights:
- Debut: 2012
- Active career: 14 years (2012-Present)
- Test centuries: 35
- Test average: 50.06
- England captain: Former Test captain
- Entry to top 10: 2023
- Current status: Active player
- Format focus: Test cricket specialist
10. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – 21,032 Runs
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 110 | 6,973 | 40.07 | 14 | 340 |
| ODIs | 445 | 13,430 | 32.36 | 28 | 189 |
| T20Is | 31 | 629 | 23.00 | 0 | 88 |
Career highlights:
- Debut: 1989
- ODI revolutionary: Aggressive opening style
- World Cup winner: 1996
- Career span: 22 years (1989-2011)
- Retirement: 2011
- ODI matches: 445
- All-rounder: Left-arm spin bowler
- ODI wickets: 323
Format-Wise International Run Leaders
Test Cricket Top 5
| Rank | Player | Country | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 15,921 | 200 |
| 2 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 13,378 | 168 |
| 3 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 13,289 | 166 |
| 4 | Rahul Dravid | India | 13,288 | 164 |
| 5 | Joe Root | England | 12,716 | 156 |
ODI Cricket Top 5
| Rank | Player | Country | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 18,426 | 463 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 14,570 | 315 |
| 3 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 14,234 | 404 |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 13,704 | 375 |
| 5 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 13,430 | 445 |
T20I Cricket Top 5
| Rank | Player | Country | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babar Azam | Pakistan | 4,429 | 132 |
| 2 | Rohit Sharma | India | 4,231 | 159 |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | India | 4,118 | 130 |
| 4 | Jos Buttler | England | 3,869 | 127 |
| 5 | Paul Stirling | Ireland | 3,760 | 154 |
Women’s International Cricket: Top Run Scorers
| Rank | Player | Country | Total Runs | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mithali Raj | India | 10,868 | 1999-2022 |
| 2 | Charlotte Edwards | England | 10,273 | 1996-2016 |
| 3 | Suzie Bates | New Zealand | 9,922 | 2006-Active |
| 4 | Meg Lanning | Australia | 8,352 | 2010-2023 |
| 5 | Stafanie Taylor | West Indies | 8,134 | 2008-Active |
Country-Wise Run Leaders
India – Top 5
| Rank | Player | Total Runs | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | 34,357 | 1989-2013 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | 28,068 | 2008-Active |
| 3 | Rahul Dravid | 24,208 | 1996-2012 |
| 4 | Sourav Ganguly | 18,575 | 1992-2008 |
| 5 | Rohit Sharma | 18,225 | 2007-Active |
Sri Lanka – Top 3
| Rank | Player | Total Runs | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kumar Sangakkara | 28,016 | 2000-2015 |
| 2 | Mahela Jayawardene | 25,957 | 1997-2015 |
| 3 | Sanath Jayasuriya | 21,032 | 1989-2011 |
Australia – Top 3
| Rank | Player | Total Runs | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricky Ponting | 27,483 | 1995-2012 |
| 2 | Steve Smith | 20,014 | 2010-Active |
| 3 | David Warner | 18,995 | 2009-Active |
Pakistan – Top 3
| Rank | Player | Total Runs | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Younis Khan | 17,790 | 2000-2017 |
| 2 | Inzamam-ul-Haq | 17,055 | 1991-2007 |
| 3 | Babar Azam | 13,756 | 2015-Active |
Conclusion:
International run-scoring records as of January 2026 reflect statistical achievements across Test, ODI, and T20I formats. Sachin Tendulkar’s 34,357 runs remain the benchmark total.
Virat Kohli’s advancement to second position in January 2026 marks a significant milestone. He trails Tendulkar by 6,289 runs with his active career continuing.
Key statistical patterns:
- Career longevity: 15+ years required for top rankings
- Multi-format performance: Success across all three formats
- Consistency: Sustained output over extended periods
- Fitness standards: Physical maintenance is crucial for long careers
- Technical adaptation: Adjustment to changing conditions
Active players, including Virat Kohli (2nd), Joe Root (9th), and others, continue accumulating runs. Historical data provides context for evaluating contemporary achievements against established benchmarks from previous generations.
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