From zero to 5000 runs in 1703 days

It took Don Bradman nine years and 234 days to get there. Garry Sobers needed more than 12, Gavaskar a little over eight and a half, Jack Hobbs 21. Even modern legends like Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar spent over eight and nine years on the international circuit before reaching the 5000-run landmark in Tests. Not Kevin Pietersen, who, on Sunday, got to 5000 in the shortest span of time - four years 242 days.

A combination of England's Test-filled schedule and consistent form - 60 Tests, average of 48.54 - led to Pietersen, who made his debut in July 2005, becoming the first to score 5000 inside five years. Pietersen was on 4955 at the start of the ongoing Mirpur Test and scored exactly 45 runs before his dismissal. He beat former team-mate Marcus Trescothick's mark of five years and eight days, while Andrew Strauss is now third quickest, having reached 5000 in July last year, five years and 57 days since his debut.

Pietersen's been quick to 5000 in terms of innings too. He needed 107 to get there and, although he's only 19th fastest overall, he's tied with Kumar Sangakkara and behind only Virender Sehwag in the table below. Only nine batsmen have got to 5000 Test runs quicker than Sehwag has and, of them, only Matthew Hayden began his career after 1990. Hayden took only 55 Tests and 95 innings to score 5000 but, because of his absences from the Australian team until his comeback in 2000, those appearances were spread over ten years.

Quickest time to 5000 career runs - Tests

Player	Debut	Date	Time			Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
KP Pietersen (Eng)	Jul 21, 2005	Mar 20, 2010	4y 242d			60	107	5000	226	48.54	16	17
ME Trescothick (Eng)	Aug 3, 2000	Aug 11, 2005	5y 8d			64	121	5038	219	45.38	12	26
AJ Strauss (Eng)	May 20, 2004	Jul 16, 2009	5y 57d			64	118	5032	177	44.53	18	14
GC Smith (ICC/SA)	Mar 8, 2002	Feb 29, 2008	5y 358d			63	111	5146	277	48.54	14	20
R Dravid (India)	Jun 20, 1996	Aug 22, 2002	6y 63d			63	108	5118	200*	52.76	12	27
MA Taylor (Aus)	Jan 26, 1989	Apr 29, 1995	6y 93d			66	119	5005	219	45.09	13	30
KC Sangakkara (SL)	Jul 20, 2000	Dec 15, 2006	6y 148d			64	107	5064	287	50.64	12	22
AC Gilchrist (Aus)	Nov 5, 1999	Apr 9, 2006	6y 155d			84	123	5124	204*	48.80	16	22
AR Border (Aus)	Dec 29, 1978	Jun 27, 1985	6y 180d			68	120	5012	196	50.62	13	28
V Sehwag (ICC/India)	Nov 3, 2001	Jul 31, 2008	6y 271d			59	100	5102	319	53.14	15	14
ME Waugh (Aus)	Jan 25, 1991	Mar 6, 1998	7y 40d			76	124	5023	140	42.21	13	32
DI Gower (Eng)	Jun 1, 1978	Aug 1, 1985	7y 61d			74	127	5013	200*	43.21	10	25
MP Vaughan (Eng)	Nov 25, 1999	Jul 27, 2007	7y 244d			69	124	5088	197	44.24	17	15
G Kirsten (SA)	Dec 26, 1993	Sep 7, 2001	7y 255d			74	131	5057	275	42.14	13	23
MJ Slater (Aus)	Jun 3, 1993	Feb 27, 2001	7y 269d			68	120	5005	219	44.29	14	20
MA Atherton (Eng)	Aug 10, 1989	Jun 5, 1997	7y 299d			68	124	5045	185*	42.39	11	32
RT Ponting (Aus)	Dec 8, 1995	Oct 17, 2003	7y 313d			71	111	5115	206	52.73	18	19
Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)	Feb 26, 1998	Jan 29, 2006	7y 337d			65	108	5075	223	50.75	16	25
JH Kallis (SA)	Dec 14, 1995	Dec 26, 2003	8y 12d			73	120	5153	189*	50.51	13	26
AJ Stewart (Eng)	Feb 24, 1990	Mar 12, 1998	8y 16d			74	132	5052	190	41.07	10	26
DC Boon (Aus)	Nov 23, 1984	Jan 2, 1993	8y 40d			69	127	5054	200	44.33	14	22

And how's this for an example of how prolific the most prolific of them all was. Sobers was third quickest, in terms of innings, to 5000 runs. It took him 95 across 56 Tests, while Bradman needed 56 innings. Sobers reached 6000 in his 65th Test (111th innings), Bradman had got there in his 68th innings. Wally Hammond is the fastest to 7000, getting there in his 80th Test (131 innings), but only because Bradman ended his career on 6996 after his 80th innings.

Bradman was not the fastest to 1000 Test runs though. He got there in seven Tests and 13 innings but it had taken him a year and 223 days. Both Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes scored their 1000th in their 12th innings (nine Tests). Sutcliffe was the first to reach 1000 in less than a year - 244 days - while Weekes took a year and 14 days. Sutcliffe's mark stood for nearly 80 years until Strauss scored his 1000th run after only 227 days on the circuit.

Michael Hussey is the only one to reach 1000 in less than six months from debut. He started in November 2005 and played 11 Tests in the span of 164 days, stacking up 1139 runs at an average of nearly 76.

Quickest time to 1000 career runs - Tests

Player	Debut	Date	Time			Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50
MEK Hussey (Aus)	Nov 3, 2005	Apr 16, 2006	0y 164d			11	19	1139	182	75.93	4	4
AJ Strauss (Eng)	May 20, 2004	Jan 2, 2005	0y 227d			10	20	1055	137	58.61	4	4
H Sutcliffe (Eng)	Jun 14, 1924	Feb 13, 1925	0y 244d			9	12	1015	176	92.27	5	4
BW Luckhurst (Eng)	Nov 27, 1970	Aug 19, 1971	0y 265d			13	25	1009	131	48.04	4	4
MJ Slater (Aus)	Jun 3, 1993	Mar 17, 1994	0y 287d			14	23	1042	168	47.36	2	5
KP Pietersen (Eng)	Jul 21, 2005	May 11, 2006	0y 294d			12	23	1048	158	47.63	3	5
AN Cook (Eng)	Mar 1, 2006	Dec 26, 2006	0y 300d			13	24	1013	127	46.04	4	3
R Dravid (India)	Jun 20, 1996	Apr 17, 1997	0y 301d			14	23	1039	148	51.95	1	8
MA Taylor (Aus)	Jan 26, 1989	Dec 8, 1989	0y 316d			10	18	1088	219	64.00	3	5
MJ Clarke (Aus)	Oct 6, 2004	Sep 8, 2005	0y 337d			17	26	1004	151	40.16	2	4
AR Border (Aus)	Dec 29, 1978	Dec 14, 1979	0y 350d			13	26	1070	162	46.52	3	6
AW Greig (Eng)	Jun 8, 1972	Jun 7, 1973	0y 364d			14	24	1072	148	51.04	2	7
AB de Villiers (SA)	Dec 17, 2004	Dec 16, 2005	0y 364d			12	21	1047	178	52.35	3	5
MTG Elliott (Aus)	Nov 22, 1996	Nov 27, 1997	1y 5d			14	23	1051	199	47.77	3	4
ED Weekes (WI)	Jan 21, 1948	Feb 4, 1949	1y 14d			9	13	1072	194	82.46	5	2
ME Trescothick (Eng)	Aug 3, 2000	Aug 23, 2001	1y 20d			16	30	1071	122	36.93	2	7
PE Richardson (Eng)	Jun 7, 1956	Jul 4, 1957	1y 27d			13	23	1027	126	44.65	3	4
SS Das (India)	Nov 10, 2000	Dec 11, 2001	1y 31d			15	28	1025	110	39.42	1	9
WR Hammond (Eng)	Dec 24, 1927	Feb 1, 1929	1y 39d			12	19	1283	251	75.47	4	4
DI Gower (Eng)	Jun 1, 1978	Jul 12, 1979	1y 41d			13	20	1058	200*	58.77	3	4

When Mitchell Johnson trapped Alastair Cook lbw at Lord's last summer, he became the second bowler to reach 100 Test wickets in less than two years since his debut. Johnson had got there in a year and 250 days, playing 23 Tests with an average of just over 29.

The record for reaching 100 wickets in the quickest time belongs to Kapil Dev - a year and 105 days. He played 25 Tests during that time, averaging 26.73 per wicket. While Kapil's record has stood for two decades, the bowler he bettered held the record for only a couple of years. Ian Botham took his 100th wicket after only two years and five days on the international scene, in his 19th Test for England. Only four bowlers - George Lohmann, Charlie Turner, Sydney Barnes and Clarrie Grimmett - have got to 100 in fewer matches.

Quickest time to 100 career wickets - Tests

Player	Debut	Date	Time			Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	5	10
N Kapil Dev (India)	Oct 16, 1978	Jan 29, 1980	1y 105d			25	5289	2673	100	7/56	11/146	26.73	6	1
MG Johnson (Aus)	Nov 8, 2007	Jul 16, 2009	1y 250d			23	5808	2964	102	8/61	11/159	29.05	2	1
IT Botham (Eng)	Jul 28, 1977	Aug 2, 1979	2y 5d			19	4476	1897	100	8/34	11/140	18.97	10	1
SJ Harmison (Eng)	Aug 8, 2002	Aug 19, 2004	2y 11d			23	5144	2523	102	7/12	9/73	24.73	4	0
SK Warne (Aus)	Jan 2, 1992	Jan 28, 1994	2y 26d			23	6840	2444	101	7/52	12/128	24.19	5	1
MS Panesar (Eng)	Mar 1, 2006	May 23, 2008	2y 83d			28	6582	3210	101	6/37	10/187	31.78	8	1
AME Roberts (WI)	Mar 6, 1974	Jul 22, 1976	2y 138d			19	4813	2185	102	7/54	12/121	21.42	8	2
AW Greig (Eng)	Jun 8, 1972	Feb 20, 1975	2y 257d			37	7200	3258	107	8/86	13/156	30.44	6	2
CEL Ambrose (WI)	Apr 2, 1988	Mar 23, 1991	2y 355d			25	5641	2390	100	8/45	10/127	23.90	3	1
MHN Walker (Aus)	Dec 29, 1972	Jan 3, 1976	3y 5d			24	6916	2598	102	8/143	8/143	25.47	6	0
DR Doshi (India)	Sep 11, 1979	Sep 17, 1982	3y 6d			28	8387	2962	105	6/102	8/103	28.20	5	0
B Lee (Aus)	Dec 26, 1999	Jan 2, 2003	3y 7d			27	5174	3023	102	5/47	8/123	29.63	4	0
SM Pollock (SA)	Nov 16, 1995	Nov 26, 1998	3y 10d			26	5628	2277	100	7/87	9/103	22.77	6	0
DL Vettori (NZ)	Feb 6, 1997	Mar 11, 2000	3y 34d			29	7845	3310	103	7/87	12/149	32.13	5	1
GD McGrath (Aus)	Nov 12, 1993	Dec 26, 1996	3y 44d			23	5586	2494	101	6/47	8/91	24.69	5	0
Waqar Younis (Pak)	Nov 15, 1989	Jan 2, 1993	3y 48d			20	3994	1989	102	7/76	12/130	19.50	11	2
DW Steyn (SA)	Dec 17, 2004	Feb 29, 2008	3y 74d			20	3791	2289	105	6/49	10/91	21.80	7	2
WW Hall (WI)	Nov 28, 1958	Mar 7, 1962	3y 99d			20	4972	2289	103	7/69	11/126	22.22	7	1
GD McKenzie (Aus)	Jun 22, 1961	Dec 4, 1964	3y 165d			23	6734	2770	104	7/153	10/91	26.63	6	1
AA Donald (SA)	Apr 18, 1992	Nov 30, 1995	3y 226d			22	5236	2575	101	8/71	12/139	25.49	5	2

There are 24 bowlers with 300 wickets or more in Tests and Shane Warne got there in the least time - six years flat - smashing Botham's record of seven years and 12 days. Dennis Lillee, who needed ten years and 302 days, took the fewest Tests - 56 - followed by Muttiah Muralitharan, who reached 300 in 58 Tests, spread over eight years and 120 days.

Quickest time to 300 career wickets - Tests

Player	Debut	Date	Time			Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	5	10
SK Warne (Aus)	Jan 2, 1992	Jan 2, 1998	6y 0d			63	18501	7069	300	8/71	12/128	23.56	14	4
IT Botham (Eng)	Jul 28, 1977	Aug 9, 1984	7y 12d			72	16545	7987	305	8/34	13/106	26.18	23	4
GD McGrath (Aus)	Nov 12, 1993	Dec 1, 2000	7y 19d			64	15283	6559	302	8/38	10/27	21.71	18	3
SM Pollock (SA)	Nov 16, 1995	Sep 4, 2003	7y 292d			74	16410	6255	302	7/87	10/147	20.71	15	1
N Kapil Dev (India)	Oct 16, 1978	Jan 4, 1987	8y 80d			83	17575	8715	300	9/83	11/146	29.05	19	2
M Muralitharan (SL)	Aug 28, 1992	Dec 26, 2000	8y 120d			58	18622	7603	302	9/65	16/220	25.17	24	5
AA Donald (SA)	Apr 18, 1992	Nov 17, 2000	8y 213d			63	13858	6527	303	8/71	12/139	21.54	20	3
M Ntini (SA)	Mar 19, 1998	Jan 19, 2007	8y 306d			74	15687	8380	303	7/37	13/132	27.65	17	4
B Lee (Aus)	Dec 26, 1999	Nov 20, 2008	8y 330d			73	15802	9134	300	5/30	8/110	30.44	9	0
CEL Ambrose (WI)	Apr 2, 1988	Jun 13, 1997	9y 72d			71	16345	6481	303	8/45	11/84	21.38	18	3
MD Marshall (WI)	Dec 15, 1978	Dec 24, 1988	10y 9d			61	13755	6266	300	7/22	11/120	20.88	18	3
Waqar Younis (Pak)	Nov 15, 1989	Jun 14, 2000	10y 212d			65	12656	6757	301	7/76	13/135	22.44	21	5
Harbhajan Singh (India)	Mar 25, 1998	Nov 6, 2008	10y 226d			72	19986	9418	306	8/84	15/217	30.77	22	5
CA Walsh (WI)	Nov 9, 1984	Aug 24, 1995	10y 288d			80	17086	7534	301	7/37	13/55	25.02	11	2
DK Lillee (Aus)	Jan 29, 1971	Nov 27, 1981	10y 302d			56	15056	6964	305	7/89	11/123	22.83	21	6
WPUJC Vaas (SL)	Aug 26, 1994	Dec 10, 2005	11y 106d			90	19588	8673	301	7/71	14/191	28.81	11	2
A Kumble (India)	Aug 9, 1990	Dec 19, 2001	11y 132d			66	20664	8412	300	10/74	14/149	28.04	18	4
Wasim Akram (Pak)	Jan 25, 1985	Aug 22, 1996	11y 210d			70	16034	6874	300	7/119	11/160	22.91	20	3
FS Trueman (Eng)	Jun 5, 1952	Aug 13, 1964	12y 69d			65	14599	6388	301	8/31	12/119	21.22	17	3
RGD Willis (Eng)	Jan 9, 1971	Jul 28, 1983	12y 200d			81	15718	7359	300	8/43	9/92	24.53	16	0