Top 10 Fastest Century In Test Cricket
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Test match in cricket is the longest and most traditional format of this sport. Despite the introduction of shorter and more popular versions, like the 50 Over ODI and 20 over T20, Test matches are still very popular and widely played. Test cricket literally tests the patience, resolve, and adaptability of players and teams in a longer format of cricket. In a true sense, it defines cricket to this day, with its traditional meaning. Even though it is a slower format, some batsmen took it upon themselves to make the games exciting for the fans and their batting innings advantageous to their team. In this article, we will look at the top 10 fastest centuries of all time in Test cricket, which is comprised of some all-time cricket legends and a few recent record acquisitions on the field with the bat. Let’s see who has scored the fastest century in Test and the remaining nine that extend on this legacy, with a detailed list.
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Top 10 Players with Fastest Centuries in Test
1) Brendon McCullum
Coming in at the top of the list, the fastest century in Test cricket history is scored by Brendon McCullum. It happened during his 101st Test match against Australia, where he led the New Zealand national cricket team as their captain. He came onto the pitch with the sole intention of batting and giving an outstanding performance, which he did. He started off nicely with a pinch of strong hits, as he completed his half-century in just 34 balls, including 3 sixes and 6 fours. With such a strong start, making 50 off 34 balls, he continued to thrive forward with the hunger of scoring more. He then went on to score 30 more runs in the next 16 balls and in the next four balls, he struck three 4s and one 6s. With the 12 more runs from 4 balls, McCullum reached his hundred that day, topping the list today. Brendon McCullum’s hundred runs in the 54-balls record are the fastest hundred in Test cricket of all time. His career statistics show how great of a batsman he was in Test cricket with his 6453 run total from 101 matches.
2) Sir Viv Richards
Sir Vivian Richards, the legendary West Indian cricketer crowned by cricket fans and his career statistics, claims the second spot in the list with his version of the world’s fastest century in test cricket. He dominated the Test format with his magnificent batting and during the West Indies vs England test match in 1986. He smashed every single delivery, steadily building his score, and made his hundred that match, in just 56 balls. He made this record, including 7 fours and 7 sixes to his name. He finished his batting with 110 runs and claimed the top spot as the fastest Test century in the world of his time, which remained unbeaten for nearly three decades. It now ranks as the second-fastest century in test cricket format of all time. His career statistics in Test cricket really amazes cricket fans as he scored 8450 runs in just 121 matches, with a strike rate of 86.07, 24 centuries, and 3 double centuries.
3) Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah-ul-Haq is regarded as one of the best batsmen in Pakistan of all time and one of the greatest Test captains of Pakistan. During a Test match between Pakistan and Australia back in 2014, Misbah-Ul-Haq made history with his precise striking and set a new milestone with his name on it. In just 56 Australian deliveries that he faced, he pulled off his hundred that day, co-joining Sir Viv Richard’s record. With this, Misbah-Ul-Haq's 100 runs that day, became the third-fastest century in test cricket history of all time. He also holds the record for the fastest half century in Test cricket, scoring off 21 balls, and this Test fastest half century record is still unbeaten.
4) Adam Gilchrist
During the third Test match between England and Australia in the iconic 2006-07 Ashes series, legendary Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist made history with his lightning batting style. He made his half-century off 40 balls and the rest fifty in the next 17 balls, scoring his century from just 57 balls in the match. With this, Gilchrist’s century has become the fourth fastest Test century in cricket history of all time. In the very same match, he scored 24 runs off a single over, during Monty Panesar’s bowling, which has been the most runs scored in an Ashes over. His 5570 runs in 96 Test games just goes to show his extreme value in this format, along with a strike rate of 81.96.
5) Jack M Gregory
Jack Gregory was an Australian cricketer, who represented his nation in 24 Test matches and scored 1146 runs. He sealed his name in the masterclass of cricket with his amazing innings during a test match between Australia vs South Africa during the 1921-22 season. He swung his bat with sheer force and dedication and achieved his hundred that day out of 67 balls, making it the fifth-fastest century in test cricket of all time. He also holds the record for scoring the fastest Test century in Test cricket in the reference to timing, which he achieved within 70 minutes, and it has been unbeaten to date.
6) Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the former West Indian cricketer with 22 years of international career, sealed his name among the Test fastest hundred scorers in cricket of all time. During a test game between West Indies vs Australia back in 2002, Shivnarine Chanderpaul gave the Australian bowlers a field day with his fiery striking ability. He made his iconic hundred runs out of 69 balls, which is the sixth-fastest century in test cricket of all time. His 100 run record in that game, included 17 boundaries, with two 6s and fifteen 4s.
7) David Warner
David Warner’s impeccable batting ability is well-known all around the world. His primary role is as an opening batter for Australia, and during a Test match between Australia and India back in 2012 in Perth, Warner shocked the cricket fans all around the world with one of the fastest hundred in Test match cricket. With facing just a total of 69 balls, David Warner made the record of the seventh fastest century in Test cricket of all time. In just 94 career Test matches, David Warner has scored 7753 runs, with a strike rate of 71.27, 23 centuries, and 2 double centuries.
8) Chris Gayle
West Indies explosive batsman Chris Gayle has entered his name in a lot of cricket records throughout his career. He didn’t just use to score but send the ball as far as possible with his powerful swings. He tops the record list with the fastest century in T20 cricket, which he made in just 30 balls and during the third test match’s second day between West Indies vs Australia in the 2009-10 period, he completed his century by facing 70 balls. This has been the eighth fastest Test century in world cricket history and a personal best for Chris Gayle. He has scored 7215 runs in 103 Test matches, which shows how powerful of a batsman he really is in this long format cricket.
9) Roy Clifton Fredericks
With his international career spanning from 1968 to 1977, Roy Clifton Fredericks used to be an opening batsman for the West Indian national cricket team. He is the fourth player from the West Indies to claim a spot in this list of fastest Test cricket centuries. During a game against Australia in 1975, Fredericks played an amazing inning and made 169 runs from 145 balls. He finished his century by playing just 71 balls, making a record as the second-fastest century in Test cricket during his time, being after Jack Gregory. Now, RC Frederick’s record ranks ninth in the fastest Test century list of all time.
10) Colin de Grandhomme
New Zealand all-rounder, Colin de Grandhomme is one of the recent year players that claim a spot on this list. In 2017, New Zealand was up against West Indies in a Test setup and Colin de Grandhomme answered the call with his bat and scored his century in that game by playing off of 71 balls. This is the tenth-fastest century in Test cricket of all time, co-joining RC Frederick’s record. Colin is the second New Zealand cricketer to be in the top 10 fastest centuries in cricket's all-time list. He finished his innings at 105 runs in 74 deliveries that game, which comprised 11 fours, 3 sixes, and a strike rate of 141.89.
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