Fastest wicket-keepers to complete 1,000 Test runs (by balls faced)
What's the story
England's Jamie Smith has become the joint-fastest batter to accomplish 1,000 Test runs as a designated keeper, having taken 21 innings. He achieved the feat en route to a 51-run knock in the third Test against India at Lord's. However, Smith reached the milestone in just 1,303 balls, becoming the fastest wicketkeeper-batter to reach this landmark in terms of balls faced. On this list note, let's look at the keepers to take the fewest balls to accomplish 1,000 Test runs.
#1
Jamie Smith - 1,303 balls
Smith, who made his Test debut last year, has emerged as a vital part of the team. He tops this list, having taken 1,303 balls to complete 1,000 runs. Overall, he took 13 Tests and 21 innings to complete 1,000 runs. He has raced to 1,048 runs as his average of 58.22 is the highest for a player with 1,000-plus Test runs as a designated keeper. The tally includes six fifties and two tons as his strike rate reads 77.40.
#2
Sarfaraz Ahmed - 1,311 balls
Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is narrowly behind Smith on this list, having taken 1,311 balls to complete 1,000 runs as a keeper. Notably, he is the only Pakistani player with 3,000-plus Test runs as the designated wicket-keeper. He bowed out with 3,031 runs from 54 Tests as a keeper at 37.41. Moreover, his strike rate is over 70 (70.16). The tally also includes 21 fifties and four tons.
#3
Adam Gilchrist - 1,330 balls
At number three, we have Australian legend Adam Gilchrist, who is arguably the greatest keeper to have graced the game. He took 1,330 balls to complete 1,000 runs. Having played 96 Tests, Gilchrist is still the leading run-scorer among wicket-keepers in Test cricket (5,570 runs at 47.60). His tally of 17 tons is also the highest on the list (50s: 26). Gilchrist also owns the best strike rate among keepers with 1,000-plus Test runs (81.95).