Jasprit Bumrah holds the record for the most runs scored in an over in Test cricket, 35 runs in one over off England’s Stuart Broad in July 2022. This remarkable effort consists of 29 runs from the bat, comprising 4 fours and 2 sixes as well as extras such as wides and a no-ball. Who has scored most runs from one over in Test cricket is an interesting question for fans as such occurrences are rare in the cautiously played format. At Edgbaston in Birmingham, during a Test match, Jasprith Bumrah hit a record-breaking over and left cricket fans in shock with the highest number of runs since any in an over in Test cricket.
The Day Jasprit Bumrah Scored the Most Runs in an Over in Test Cricket
In the second innings of the fifth Test between India and England at Edgbaston on July 2, 2022, it was later revealed that the unthinkable had happened, when England pacer Jasprit Bumrah produced a match-saving batting performance. And Bumrah, India’s stand-in captain, was at his boisterous best, going berserk in an over that ended up being the most expensive in Test cricket. The over went: 4, 5 (wide), 7 (no-ball and 6), 4, 4, 6, 1. It accounted for 29 runs off Bumrah’s bat, which included four fours and two sixes, and six runs from extras, to make it 35 runs.
Bumrah’s assault brought him from 0 not out off 7 balls to 29 not out off 14 balls, an extraordinary performance for a tail-ender whose Test batting average is 6. Broad, who had taken his 550th Test wicket earlier, had a nightmare as he bowled the most expensive over in Test cricket. For all his heroics, India lost the match by seven wickets, but that over by Bumrah will be remembered as one of the most iconic in Test history, and that will be enough to add his name to the list when we ask who scored most runs in an over in Test cricket.
Most Runs Conceded in an Over in Test Cricket: Leading Contenders in History
And although Bumrah’s over of 35 runs remains unique, other cricketers have almost broken the record for most runs scored in a single over in Test cricket. And here are some of those top contenders who have already stamped their authority in the Test cricket most runs in an over ever list:
Brian Lara – 28 Runs (2003)
It was West Indies’ Brian Lara who first raised the bar for the highest runs scored in an over, in Test cricket. In 2003, in a Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, Lara slogged 28 off the spinner Robin Peterson. His over had two fours and three sixes, par for his big-hitting course. Lara’s record, which lasted for more than a decade, became a yardstick for most runs in an over in Test cricket.
28 runs George Bailey (2013)
Australia’s George Bailey also hit that number in 2013 during the Ashes in Perth. Against James Anderson, Bailey belts 28 runs in an over: 4, 6, 2, 4, 6, 6. This elite over of Test cricket most runs in an over history rattled Anderson, who is usually all control in his approach, and puts Bailey in the select group of elite, who have scored the most runs in a single over in Test cricket as well.
Birthday Boy: Keshav Maharaj Turns 28 – Best In CSa3vAGEn | Score – 2020 Content Highlights 1 Birthday Boy: Keshav Maharaj Turns 28 We wish Keshav Maharaj, South Africa’s left-arm orthodox spinner, a very Happy Birthday!
South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj became the second member of the club in 20 when he struck 28 against England in Port Elizabeth. Against part-time spinner Joe Root, Maharaj hit 24 with the bat, which included three fours and two sixes, bonus four runs off byes for a total of 28. The bizarrely captivating showdown provided another peculiar entry in the annals of records of most runs in an over in Test cricket.
Harry Brook – 27 Runs (2022)
England’s Harry Brook scored 27 runs off Pakistan’s Zahid Mahmood in Rawalpindi 2022. His over — 6, 4, 4, 6, 4, 3 — was typical of the aggressive “Bazball” days under Ben Stokes and was just short of the record for most runs in an over in Test cricket.
Craig McMillan – 26 vs England (2001)
Craig McMillan of New Zealand struck 26 off Younis Khan of Pakistan in Hamilton in 2001. His 4, 4, 4, 4, 6, 4 over set a then-record for the most runs scored in an over in Test cricket, underscoring that attacking intent.
Bumrah’s 35-run over was not only a record — it was an occurrence that transcended the norms of Test cricket. With extras, Broad’s over stretched to eight deliveries and Bumrah swung with the freedom you might expect from a No. 10 batter. BBC’s Andy Zaltzman described it as “utterly extraordinary,” pointing out that in almost 900,000 overs in the history of Test cricket, no one had ever been hit for more in six deliveries. X posts from 2022, including those from @cricbuzz, trumpeted it as a “masterclass by Boom Boom.” Meanwhile, some fans also referenced Broad’s past of being battered in big overs — like when Yuvraj Singh hit 36 runs in one of his overs in a 2007 T20I.
The most runs in an over in Test cricket record also puts into perspective how time has changed Test cricket. For a bowler like Bumrah to pull this off against the seasoned campaigner that is Broad (604 Test wickets) proved how even tail-enders can influence results. Though India lost, Bumrah’s over still holds the gold standard for who hit most runs in an over in Test cricket.
Maximum Runs in an Over in Test Cricket: Vintage Background
The most runs scored in an over in Test cricket has slowly grown over decades. Prior to McMillan’s 26 in 2001, recurring figures of such kind were scarce during Test cricket’s defensive phase. Lara’s 28 in 2003 took aggression to new levels, before it was matched by Bailey and Maharaj in 2013 and 2020. All of those instances were against unlikely bowlers — Peterson, Anderson, Root — and it’s a good illustration of how Test cricket can catch you by surprise.
The Record for Most Runs in an Over in Test Cricket Can Be Broken in 2025 -Is It A Possibility?
Bumrah’s 35-run over is unchallenged as of April 2025, but the brutal recalibration of Test cricket has a say in everything. Players such as, say, Rishabh Pant, perhaps the day’s most brutal batsman, or Harry Brook — who’s already made 27 — might look for maximum runs in an over in Test history. Batsmen friendly pitches — say Vizag during DC vs SRH 2025 when 34 fours and 29 sixes were hit — could set the tone. Will we have to change the answer to who scored most runs in an over in Test cricket to 2025?
Why Cricket’s Most Run-Infested Over Exerts a Hold Over Fans
The most runs in an over in Test cricket is more than a record — it has the quality of a scene of drama. Bumrah’s 35, then, changed the momentum, just as Lara’s 28 in 2003 or Bailey’s in 2013. Those overs shatter the stoic mold of Test cricket, offering fans an excitement that is rare to witness. The Test cricket most runs in an over remains a testament to the formats unpredictability, as the question of who has scored most runs in an over is still up for debate.
Who do you think scored most runs in an over in Test? Bumrah’s feat in 2025 can be replicated? Let us know in the comments section below – and remember to relive Tests greatest moments below!
