Abrar Ahmed, a promising Pakistani legspinner, has given up 942 runs in his first four Test matches, more than any other bowler, including six innings in which he scored over 100 runs (in one, he had 5 for 205). He has surpassed the previous Pakistani spinner Abdur Rehman, a left-armer, who in his first four Tests gave up 774 runs and had six lots of 100 or more.
Abrar will likely be the first to give up 1000 runs after his fifth match, unless Abrar has a very quiet season. Australian legspinner Arthur Mailey gave up 946 runs after his first five Tests and went over 1000 in his sixth Test at Lord’s in 1921.
Mailey was one of seven players to reach the milestone in their sixth Test, the others being Tom Richardson (1011), R Ashwin (1069), Alf Valentine (1046), Mark Craig (1031), Tharindu Kaushal (1011), and Abdur Rehman (who now leads the way after six games with 1079, six runs more than Mailey) (1001).
In the third Test against Pakistan, Joe Root claimed two wickets but was ineffective at the plate. Was this his first Test in which he got more wickets than runs? Poland’s Magdalena Stefanska was questioned. In his 127th game, Joe Root’s performance in the third Test in Karachi last month was the first time he had more wickets than runs in a Test.
The previous time Root had come close to this was in his final match as captain against the West Indies in March of 2022 at Grenada. After going for a duck in the first innings of the game, he dismissed Jayden Seales and gained momentum with the ball before going for five runs when England batted again. Here is a complete list of all of Root’s Test appearances.
In his 56th Test, Usman Khawaja raised his mark to its greatest level in Sydney. Who achieved his highest result at the end of a career? Indian Vinay Kushwaha was questioned.
Usman Khawaja did, in fact, surpass his previous top score against South Africa in the last Test in Sydney last week; prior to that, his best was 174 against New Zealand in Brisbane in 2015–16, marking his first Test century.
As I believe you well know, a player improving on a career-best score in their 56th match is far from becoming a record. Seven players who have played in more than 100 Tests have achieved this feat, with Glenn McGrath being the most unexpected. In his 102nd match, against New Zealand in Brisbane in 2004–2005, McGrath scored 61, his lone Test half-century.
The most recent was Jacques Kallis, who in his 150th Test against Sri Lanka in Cape Town in 2011–12 recorded his best score of 224. In his 118th game, Anil Kumble got his lone Test century (110 not out against England at The Oval in 2007).