In Pics - Top 5: Most consecutive Test matches played

Teams across the world heavily invest in scouting and development to discover and train future stars. But even when they make it to the top, these stars only get to keep their place in the team if they perform and deliver results consistently. One of the best parameters to judge consistency is to see the number of matches an individual has played, without injury and without being dropped. TimesofIndia.com here takes a look at the top five cricketers who have played the most number of Test matches on the trot over the years.

Widely regarded as one of the most prolific batsmen in modern day cricket, former England Test and ODI skipper, Alastair Cook, who was officially knighted by the Queen last year, holds the incredible record of having played 159 of his 161 career Test matches without missing a single one between 11 May, 2006 and 7 Sep, 2018. Cook, who retired from cricket at the age of 33 in 2018 was the youngest Englishman to score 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 runs, and is still the youngest player to reach each of the 1000 run milestones from 6000 to 12,000 runs. He is also the first opener to cross the 11,000 and 12,000 run mark in Test cricket. With a score of 147 in the last game of his illustrious career, he also became only the fifth batsman to score a century in his first and last Test matches.

One of the stalwarts of Australian cricket, Alan Border will always be remembered as a solid captain, who interestingly was reluctant to take the reigns of the team, but went on to become one of the tallest leaders of Australian cricket. As a batsman, the left handed Border was prolific, having scored over eleven thousand Test runs and over six thousand ODI runs. It's not surprising then that he comes in at second place on this list, having played 153 of his career total of 156 Tests on the trot. He in fact held the record for a long time, till Cook surpassed him. When he retired in 1994, Border, at that time, had played the most number of Test matches, most consecutive Tests, most Tests as captain and taken more catches than any other player.

Just as Allan Border was stepping into his penultimate year in professional cricket, the team from Down Under had yet another Mr. Reliable on their hands. All-rounder Mark Waugh played 107 consecutive Tests for the Aussies between 3 June, 1993 and 19 Oct, 2002. With 128 Test games under his belt, Waugh also has an impressive haul of 8029 Test runs and 59 Test wickets to his name. Waugh, considered to be one of the best slip fielders ever held the record for most catches by a non wicket-keeper till 2008. At the 1996 World Cup, he became the first batsman ever to score three centuries in the tournament.

Considered one of the greatest opening batsmen of all times, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar dominated bowlers in the 70s and 80s and redefined Test batting at a time when matches were played on uncovered pitches and without adequate protective gear. Gavaskar played a total of 125 Tests in his career, out of which he played 106 Tests in a row, just one behind Mark Waugh's tally of 107. Gavaskar was the first cricketer to score 10,000 Test runs, amassing a total of 10,122 runs in his Test career, at an average of 51.12. He was also the first to get to 30 Test centuries and he held the record for the highest number of Test centuries (34), until it was broken by Sachin Tendulkar.

The fifth name on this list is that of talismanic Kiwi cricketer, Brendon McCullum. McCullum boasts the incredible feat of having played all his 101 Test matches on the trot. A destructive batsman and former captain, McCullum scored 6453 Test runs. In his career spanning 14 years, McCullum scored 2 Test centuries and 31 half centuries. He also holds the record for the fastest Test century, having scored 100 off just 54 balls vs Australia in the 2015-16 season.