Top 10 Cricketers with Most Centuries in Test Cricket in 2022

Scoring a century in Tests is much more special than scoring one in limited-overs because the former demands more endurance than the latter. But who is the batsman who holds the record for most centuries in Test cricket? The answer is, you guessed it right, Sachin Tendulkar. The God of cricket not only holds the record for most ODI centuries, but he also heads the list of most centuries in Test cricket with 51 tons under his name.

Most Centuries in Test cricket 2022

Let us take a look at the top 10 cricketers with the most centuries in Test cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar – 51 centuries

No other cricketer in the history of the game has played more Test matches than Tendulkar. The former India captain called it quits after playing 200 Tests for India, from which he averaged 53.78 and scored 51 centuries.

Apart from scoring most centuries in Tests, Tendulkar is also the all-time highest run-scorer in the format with 15921 runs. Besides that, he has hit the most fifties in Tests (145), most fours (2016) and most nineties (10). Additionally, Sachin is the fastest cricketer to 15,000 and 18,000 runs in Tests.

Best centuries – 114 against Australia in Perth in 1992, 169 against South Africa in Cape Town in 1997, unbeaten 155 against Australia in Chennai in 1998, 136 against Pakistan in Chennai in 1999 and an unbeaten 241 against Australia in Sydney in 2014.

Jacques Kallis – 45 centuries

On number two is former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who played 166 Test matches from 1995 to 2013, averaging 55.37. Kallis scored 45 centuries in the format and 58 half-centuries.

The right-hander holds the record for having the most Player of the Match awards in Tests (23), while also being the format’s third-highest run-scorer of all-time (13289). He has also scored second-most hundreds in a Test series (4), and second-most hundreds in consecutive matches (5). After Tendulkar, Kallis has hit the second-most fifties in Tests (103).

The cricketer turned coach is the only player to make 12,000 international runs and take 500 wickets, only South African to make over 10,000 runs in Tests or ODIs, and has also taken the third-most catches in Test history.

Best centuries – 162 against England in Durban in 2004, 201* against India in Centurion in 2010, 161 and 109* against India in Newlands in 2011 and 101 against Australia in Melbourne in 1997.

Ricky Ponting – 41 centuries

The former Australia captain scored 41 centuries in Tests from 1995 – 2012. Punter, as he is nicknamed, ended his Test career with an average of 51.85, and is Test cricket’s third-highest run-scorer with 13378 runs. Ponting also holds the record for second-most Test centuries in a calendar year (7), joint second-most fifties (103), and is the third-fastest to 9,000, 11,000 and 13,000 runs.

Ponting captained South Africa in 77 Tests, of which he won 48. He is second on the list of most consecutive matches as Test captain (73).

Best centuries – 242 against India in Adelaide in 2003, 221 against India in Adelaide in 2012, 156 against England in Manchester in 2005 and 143* against South Africa in Sydney in 2006.

Kumar Sangakkara – 38 centuries

With 38 Test centuries, former Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara has occupied the fourth position on the list of most tons in the longest format. The former captain played Test cricket for 15 years, and averaged 57.40 in 134 matches. He is the sixth-highest run-scorer in Tests (12,400), has the most runs by a wicketkeeper in an innings (230), the second-most double hundreds in Tests (11), and most fifties in consecutive innings (7).

Best centuries –  219 against India in 2010, 192 against Australia in 2007, 230 vs Pakistan in 2002 and 232 and 287 vs South Africa in 2004 and 2006, respectively.

Rahul Dravid – 36 centuries

Former captain and current head coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Rahul Dravid scored 36 Test centuries from 286 innings before ending his career in 2012 with an average of 52.31. ‘The Wall’, as Dravid is nicknamed for showing tremendous endurance in his Test batting, has the most nineties for any batsman in the longest format (10). Dravid also holds the record for scoring second-most number of fours in Tests (1654). He is also the second-fastest to 9,000 runs and has taken the most catches in Tests (210).

Best centuries – 146* against England in London in 2011, 270 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2004, 180 against Australia in Kolkata in 2001, 233 against Australia in Adelaide in 2003.

Younis Khan – 34 centuries

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan scored 34 Tests centuries from 213 innings in a career that lasted for 17 years. At the time of calling it quits in 2017, Younis averaged 52.05 in the format.

On debut against Sri Lanka in 2000, the right-hander scored a fine century in the second innings and announced himself as one of the greatest batsmen to be produced by Pakistan. In 2009 when he was the captain of his side, Younis slammed a triple century against Sri Lanka Karachi.

Best centuries – 107 against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi in 2000, 149 against New Zealand in Auckland in 2001, 267 against India in Bangalore in 2005, 218 against England in London in 2016.

Sunil Gavaskar – 34 centuries

Little Master Sunil Gavaskar scored 34 Test tons, the same number as Younis Khan, but took 214 innings to get there. Gavaskar scored the fourth-most runs in a Test series as captain (732), and second-most hundreds in a Test series (4). West Indies was his favourite team to bat against, with 13 of his centuries coming against them.

Best centuries – 220 against West Indies in Port of Spain in 1971, 113 against Australia in Brisbane in 1977, 221 against England in London in 1979, 236* against West Indies in Chennai in 1983, and 127 against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1983.

Brian Lara – 34 centuries

One of the greatest batsmen to have played the game, Brian Lara scored 34 centuries from 232 innings during a career that started in 1990 and ended in 2006. His record for the most runs in an innings (400*) is one that most cricket followers know of.

Additionally, he has scored the third-most double centuries in Tests (9), most triple centuries in Tests (2), and hit the third-most fours (1559). Another big record under Lara’s name is him being the fastest to reach 10,000 Test runs.

Best centuries – 153* against Australia in Bridgetown in 1999 and 213 in that same series,

 202 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2003, 226 against Australia in Adelaide in 2005, 375 against England in Antigua in 1994, 400* against England in St John’s in 2004.

Mahela Jayawardene – 34 centuries

The ninth-most centuries in Test cricket have been scored by Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene, who retired in 2014. Now a renowned coach, the right-hander ended his Test career with an average 51.45, scoring 34 centuries and 50 fifties from 252 innings. The Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo was Jayawardene’s favourite venue to bat at, as he scored 2921 runs there from 42 innings at an average of more than 70. No other batsman has a better average than that at a single venue.

Best centuries – 123 against South Africa in Colombo in 2006, 374 in that same series, 119 against England in London in 2006, 237 against South Africa in Galle in 2004, 213* against England in Galle in 2007.

Alastair Cook – 33 centuries

The former England opener scored 33 Test centuries from 291 innings, and ended his career with an average of 43.35. The southpaw holds the record for playing the most consecutive Test matches for a team (159), and fourth-most consecutive matches as captain of a team (57).

Additionally, he has taken sixth-most catches in Test history (175) and is the sixth-fastest to reach 12,000 runs.

Best centuries – 235* against Australia in Brisbane in 2010, 263 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2015, 189 against Australia in Sydney in 2010, 294 against India in Edgbaston in 2011, 244* against Australia in Melbourne in 2017. 

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