Kane Williamson’s 2,000 Test runs: A statistical analysis of youngest batsmen to reach the milestone
Stats analysis of youngest batsmen to score 2,000 runs

New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson completed 2,000 runs in his Test career on June 8, 2014. In doing so, he became the youngest batsman from New Zealand to achieve this milestone. Bharath Seervi provides a statistical analysis on the milestone of 2,000 runs in Test cricket.
On Day One of the first Test between West Indies and New Zealand in Jamaica, Kiwi batsman Kane Williamson reached 2,000 runs in his Test career. He got there in his 32nd Test and 57th inning when he reached 36 runs. Though Williamson is the 25th New Zealand cricketer to complete 2,000 Test runs, he is the youngest of them all. He got to the milestone at the age of 23 years 304 days. Williamson overcame Martin Crowe, who had reached the milestone at the age of 24 years five months, 10 days in March 1987.
Youngest New Zealand batsmen to complete 2,000 Test runs
Age | Batsman | Milestone Date |
23y, 10m, 00d | Kane Williamson | June 8, 2014 |
24y, 05m, 10d | Martin Crowe | March 3, 1987 |
24y, 06m, 18d | Craig McMillan | March 30, 2001 |
25y, 01m, 27d | Stephen Fleming | May 27, 1998 |
26y, 09m, 15d | Glenn Turner | March 12, 1974 |
Williamson, though being the youngest batsman from New Zealand to reach 2,000 Test runs, is the 10th youngest overall to reach the milestone. The youngest batsman to reach 2,000 Test runs is Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian legend managed to score 2,000 runs at age of 20 years, 10 months, 24 days.
Youngest batsmen to complete 2,000 Test runs
Age | Batsman | Team | Date |
20y, 10m, 24d | Sachin Tendulkar | India | March 20, 1994 |
22y, 05m, 24d | Garry Sobers | West Indies | March 28, 1968 |
22y, 06m, 08d | Javed Miandad | Pakistan | December 20, 1979 |
22y, 10m, 19d | Ramnaresh Sarwan | West Indies | May 12, 2003 |
23y, 01m, 26d | Graeme Smith | South Africa | March 27, 2004 |
23y, 02m, 17d | Alastair Cook | England | March 13, 2008 |
23y, 03m, 00d | Donald Bradman | Australia | November 27, 1931 |
23y, 09m, 11d | Dilip Vengsarkar | India | January 16, 1980 |
23y, 09m, 17d | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | March 15, 2001 |
23y, 10m, 00d | Kane Williamson | New Zealand | June 8, 2014 |
With Williamson becoming the youngest New Zealand batsman to score 2,000 Test runs, let us look at the youngest from each team to do so.
Youngest batsmen to complete 2,000 Test runs from each team
Team | Batsman | Age | Milestone Date |
Australia | Donald Bradman | 23y, 03m, 00d | November 27, 1931 |
Bangladesh | Tamim Iqbal | 23y, 11m, 06d | April 25, 2013 |
England | Alastair Cook | 23y, 02m, 17d | March 13, 2008 |
India | Sachin Tendulkar | 20y, 10m, 24d | March 20, 1994 |
New Zealand | Kane Williamson | 23y, 10m, 00d | June 8, 2014 |
Pakistan | Javed Miandad | 22y, 06m, 08d | December 20, 1979 |
Sri Lanka | Mahela Jayawardene | 23y, 09m, 17d | March 15, 2001 |
South Africa | Graeme Smith | 23y, 01m, 26d | March 27, 2004 |
West Indies | Garfield Sobers | 22y, 05m, 24d | March 28, 1968 |
Zimbabwe | Alistair Campbell | 28y, 01m, 27d | November 18, 2000 |
Williamson took 57 innings to reach the 2,000-run landmark. But seven Kiwi cricketers completed 2,000 Test runs in fewer innings than Williamson. Below is the list showing the fewest number of innings played to score 2,000 Test runs by New Zealand batsmen:
Fewest innings played to score 2,000 Test runs by New Zealand batsmen
Innings | Batsman | Match Date |
44 | Andrew Jones | November 1, 1992 |
44 | Mark Richardson | October 16, 2003 |
46 | Bert Sutcliffe | January 6, 1956 |
47 | Glenn Turner | March 8, 1974 |
48 | Ross Taylor | November 12, 2010 |
52 | Craig McMillan | March 27, 2001 |
56 | Martin Crowe | February 27, 1987 |
57 | Kane Williamson | June 8, 2014 |
60 | Stephen Fleming | May 27, 1998 |
60 | Nathan Astle | December 26, 1999 |
All figures are updated till June 8, 2014.
Williamson has also become the first Kiwi to score six centuries before age of 24 beating Crowe who had scored five before he turned 24. Williamson’s six centuries has put him on the joint seventh position of scoring six centuries before the age of 24. If he can manage to score another century in the series he will be the joint fourth to score seven centuries before the age of 24.
(Bharath Seervi is cricket statistician who is obsessed with digging numbers, facts and records related to the game. An active member of Society of Cricket Statisticians of India, he blogs at www.cricketseervistats.blogspot.com. He can be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SeerviBharath and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SeerviCricket)