Any player who is just starting out playing for his country will always have something to prove to cement a position on the team. Consistency is critical for any player in his early stages at the highest level.
Many players have demonstrated incredible consistency in their initial years, which has helped them establish the foundation for a successful career. However, to do that in Test cricket is never easy. In this article, we will look at some of the batters who have scored the most runs in Test Cricket before the age of 20.
#3 Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh) – 798 runs
The former Bangladesh Captain Mohammad Ashraful, who made his debut at the age of 17, played 19 Test matches for his country before he turned 20. He had a century and as many as four half-centuries to his name during this time. He went on to play for his country until 2013, playing 61 Test matches and scoring 2737 runs at an average of 24.
#2 Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan) – 868 runs
Mushtaq Mohammad is a former Pakistani cricket coach and former player who played 57 Tests and 10 ODIs between 1959 and 1979. He is a right-handed batsman and leg-spinner who became one of Pakistan’s most successful all-rounders and went on to captain his country in nineteen Test matches. Before he turned 20, Mushtaq had already played 14 Test matches, scoring 868 runs at an average of 37.73. He also scored two centuries and five half-centuries during this time.
#1 Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 1522 runs
Sachin Tendulkar, without a doubt one of the most loved players across the world, had taken cricket by storm in the late 80s and early 90s when he was just a teenager. Before he turned 20, the Little Master had amassed 1522 Test runs at an average of 44.76 in 25 matches, including five hundreds and as many as eight half-centuries. In his illustrious 24-year-long career, he went on to play 200 Test matches for India.