Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the verge of setting a new milestone in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. The 22-year-old left-handed batter, who emerged as India’s best performer in the five-match Test series against England earlier this year, is just 132 runs away from breaking Ajinkya Rahane’s record for the most runs scored by an Indian player in a single WTC cycle.
Jaiswal has been in sensational form, amassing 712 runs in five red-ball matches against England, including two double centuries. His incredible performances saw him shatter several records, and as the two-match Test series against Bangladesh begins on Thursday (September 19) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Jaiswal has another opportunity to etch his name in history.
Rahane’s Record in Sight
Former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane currently holds the record for the most runs scored by an Indian player in a single edition of the WTC. Rahane scored 1159 runs in 18 matches during the 2019-21 cycle. Jaiswal, who has already accumulated 1028 runs in just nine matches in the current 2023-25 cycle, needs only 132 more runs to surpass Rahane and claim the record.
Jaiswal would become only the third Indian batter to cross the 1000-run mark in a single WTC edition, joining Rahane and India’s current captain Rohit Sharma. Rohit scored 1094 runs in 12 matches during the 2019-21 cycle.
Top Indian Run-Scorers in WTC History:
- Ajinkya Rahane: 1159 runs (2019-21)
- Rohit Sharma: 1094 runs (2019-21)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: 1028 runs (2023-25, ongoing)
- Virat Kohli: 934 runs (2019-21), 932 runs (2021-23)
- Cheteshwar Pujara: 928 runs (2021-23), 841 runs (2019-21)
- Rishabh Pant: 868 runs (2021-23)
- Mayank Agarwal: 857 runs (2019-21)
Joe Root Sets the Global Benchmark
On the global stage, former England captain Joe Root holds the record for the most runs in a single WTC edition, having amassed 1915 runs in 22 matches during the 2021-23 cycle. Root remains the only batter to have scored over 1000 runs in all three WTC editions held so far. Jaiswal, with his consistent form, has the opportunity to challenge Root’s standing as the leading run scorer in the ongoing cycle. The Mumbai-based batter needs 371 more runs in the next two Tests to surpass Root’s tally and become the highest scorer in WTC 2023-25.
Top Run-Scorers in WTC History:
- Joe Root (England): 1915 runs (2021-23), 1660 runs (2019-21)
- Marnus Labuschagne (Australia): 1675 runs (2019-21), 1576 runs (2021-23)
- Usman Khawaja (Australia): 1621 runs (2021-23)
Jaiswal’s rise in international cricket has been nothing short of remarkable, and as India gears up for their upcoming series against Bangladesh, all eyes will be on him to see if he can continue his stellar run and rewrite more records.