Test records: Top 10 fastest centuries in Test cricket

The test is a format in which a match can take up to five days. It’s a slow-paced game in general, with each day lasting up to 90 overs. In test matches, a batsman typically needs more than 100 balls to reach a century. However, there have been moments where the batsman unleashed his inner beast, either to quickly hunt down a target or to take on a surreal appearance. While hitting a red ball is more difficult than hitting a white ball, these batters made it look easy and got some of the fastest centuries in test history.

Fastest centuries in Test cricket

• Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum, the powerful striker from New Zealand, earns the top slot. New Zealand played Australia at the Hagley Oval on February 20, 2016. He showed no fear and went on a six-and-four run. He converted a test match into a T-20 match. He scored a century in only 54 balls. He went on to score 145 runs in 79 innings. He finished with 21 fours and six sixes. It’s no surprise that his style spawned a new playing style known as Bazball.

• Viv Richards

During the 1970s and 1980s, his name used to frighten bowlers. Sir Vivian Richards, the man who guided his team to World Cup triumph twice, is ranked second. Sir Vivian Richard struck a century in 100 balls against England on April 15, 1986, at Antigua Recreation Ground. He scored 110 runs off 58 balls, including seven fours and seven sixes.

• Misbah ul Haq

The former Pakistan captain moves up to third place. Pakistan and Australia met in the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on November 2, 2014. The right-hand batsman had a field day against Australia, reaching a century in just 56 balls. He earned 101 points, hitting eleven fours and five sixes. Throughout his career, he was recognized for his aggressive batting approach. His test average is an impressive 46.6. In 75 matches, he scored over 5000 runs.

• Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist was by far the best wicketkeeper in Australian history, and he was also a beast with the bat. In cricket, he has scored over 15000 runs. Adam had a fantastic inning against England on December 16, 2006. He finished fourth with a century in 57 balls. He scored 102 runs off 59 balls, hitting 12 fours and four sixes. His terrifying hitting style and adaptability made him a batter that every side feared. He played a vital role in Australia’s dominant run.

• Jack Gregory

Going a little further Jack Gregory, an old school Australian batsman, is ranked fifth. He was regarded as an explosive batsman in the 1920s. He had a brief career of only 24 games, but he made an impression. In a match against South Africa, he scored a century in only 67 balls, an unprecedented performance at the time. He was leagues ahead of other athletes his age. He sealed the deal with nine fours and two sixes. In total, he scored 119 runs.

• David Warner

The Australian-run machine is ranked sixth. The Australian batsman has received numerous awards. He is a versatile batter due to his explosive batting style and ability to manage the bowl perfectly. Warner went all out against India in a match in Perth in 2012. He got a hundred out of only 69 balls. He scored 180 runs in all, hitting 20 fours and five sixes and destroying Indian hopes and sentiments.

• Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Chanderpaul, the West Indies senior keeper best known for his batting posture, is ranked seventh on this list. On April 10, 2003, at Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana, Chanderpaul delivered a magnificent knock against the Australians. In the amazing innings, he scored a hundred runs in 69 balls, hitting 15 fours and two sixes. His grandeur cannot be expressed in words, since he scored over 20000 runs during his storied career.

• Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle is well-known for his T-20 play, and he has scored numerous memorable test hundreds. Given his playing style, it’s no surprise that he made this list, especially given that he previously held the record for the fastest half-century. He, like his West Indies counterpart, hit a century against the Aussies on December 17, 2009, in Perth, slamming nine fours and six sixes in only 70 balls.

• Roy Fredericks

He is the third Caribbean man to make this list. Roy Fredericks, a West Indian icon, takes ninth place. At Perth, Roy hit a century in just 71 balls against the Aussies, who appear to be everyone’s favourite opponent. He went on to score 169 runs in total, including 27 fours and one six. He was an important member of the West Indies team that dominated the 1970s.

• Colin de Grandhomme

Despite his brief test career, the Kiwi all-rounder possessed a powerful batting style. In 29 matches, he scored 1420 runs with 141 fours and 41 sixes. On 2 December 2017, he went on to score a century in just 71 balls against West Indies at Basin Reserve Wellington, scoring 11 fours and three sixes. Despite his brief test career, he amassed 218 half-centuries, solidifying his legacy.