All of us know that Brian Lara is the only player in the history of Test Cricket to score 400 runs in a innings. Brian Lara achieved this feat at St Johns against England in the Test Match played during 10th April 2004 to 14th April 2004. The feat of achieving 400 runs in a Test Match however  has been achieved by a couple of batsmen prior to Brian Lara if looked from a different angle. Cricket is full of statistics but there are some statistics which are not given the prominence they should have been given and the records of Graham Gooch and Mark Taylor being associated with the 400 run club is not given as much prominence it deserves to be given.

Graham Gooch was the first player to aggregate 400 runs in a single Test Match:- Graham Gooch of England was the first ever player to score 400 runs in a single Test Match.  Graham Gooch scored 333 in the first innings and 123 in the second innings against India at Lords in the Test Match played between 26th July 1990 to 31st July 1990.  When Graham Goochreached 67 in his second innings score of 123 he became the first player to aggregate 400 runs in a single Test breaking Greg Chappels tally of 380 runs achieved against New Zealand at Wellington in March 1974.  Graham Goochs tally of 456 runs in the Test Match is a world record till date.

Mark Taylor was the first player to score 400 runs continuously in a Test:- Mark Taylor of Australia scored 334 not out in the first innings and 92 runs in the second innings  against Pakistan at Peshwar in the Test Match played between 15th October to 19th October 1998.  Mark Taylor declared himself on 334 runs  in first innings and then got out for 92 runs in the second innings.  When Taylor reached 66 in the second innings he became the first batsman in the history of Test Matches to reach the 400 mark mark without being dismissed.  Mark Taylor was dismissed only after scoring 426 runs at a stretch in the Test Match. Taylor's tally of 426 runs is a world record for most runs scored in a single Test Match before being dismissed.

The members of the unique 400 runs club should be read in the following way.   Graham Gooch is the first player to aggregrate 400 runs in a Test Match, Mark Taylor is the first player to score 400 runs in a Test before being dismissed and Brain Lara is the first player to score 400 runs in a single innings of a Test Match