Which players have the most consecutive centuries in Tests?

Finding consistency in any format of cricket can be a tough task. As a batter even when in good knick only one good ball is enough to get you back to the pavilion. Finding consistency in test cricket gets even tougher where you have to face hundreds of balls to reach the triple-figure mark. On top of that, the opposition’s best bowler does not have any constraints or limitations of over limits and can bowl a lot of tricky spells. That is why scoring consecutive centuries in tests is no mean feat. In this article, we take a look at players who have the most consecutive centuries in Tests.

Most consecutive centuries in Tests

Player	Consecutive 100s	1st innings	2nd innings	Opposition	Ground	Match Date
Don Bradman (Australia)	6	13	270	England	Melbourne	1st January, 1937
		26	212	England	Adelaide	29th January, 1937
		169	–	England	Melbourne	26th February, 1937
		51	144*	England	Nottingham	10th June, 1938
		18	102*	England	Lord’s	24th June, 1938
		103	16	England	Leeds	22nd July, 1938
Jacques Kallis (South Africa)	5	158	44	West Indies	Johannesburg	12th December, 2003
		177	–	West Indies	Durban	26th December, 2003
		73	130*	West Indies	Cape Town	2nd January, 2004
		130*	Did not bat	West Indies	Centurion	16th January, 2004
		92	150*	New Zealand	Hamilton	10th March, 2004
Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan)	5	192	8	England	Leeds	4th August, 2006
		128	–	England	The Oval	17th August, 2006
		192	Did not bat	West Indies	Lahore	11th November, 2006
		56	191	West Indies	Multan	19th November, 2006
		102	124	West Indies	Karachi	27th November, 2006
Gautam Gambhir (India)	5	16	137	New Zealand	Napier	26th March, 2009
		23	167	New Zealand	Wellington	3rd April, 2009
		1	114	Sri Lanka	Ahmedabad	16th November, 2009
		167	–	Sri Lanka	Kanpur	24th November, 2009
		23	116	Bangladesh	Chattogram	17th January, 2010

Don Bradman (6 centuries)

It is seldom that a batting record list does not contain the legendary batter, Don Bradman. The Don of cricket was the best player of the 20th century and the various records speak as a testament to this fact. One of these records is scoring consecutive centuries in six tests. All these six centuries came against arch-rivals, England spanned across two series in Australia and England.

• Bradman scored a double century in the second innings of the 3rd test at Melbourne in 1937. Bradman’s score of 270 was enough for Australia to win the match by 365 runs.
• His second consecutive century once again came in the second innings at Adelaide when he once again scored a double century. Bradman’s 212 helped Australia to level the series by winning the match by 148 runs.
• Playing the final match of the series, Bradman scored another century at Melbourne to hand England an innings and 200 runs defeat.
• Playing the first test of the new series in England Bradman scored his fourth consecutive century. After being asked to follow on, Bradman scored 144 and remained not out to draw the match for his side.
• In the following test, Bradman played a similar role to the previous test and scored a century in the fourth innings to draw the match.
• His sixth consecutive century came at Leeds in Australia’s first innings. Australia went on to win the match by five wickets.

Jacques Kallis (5 centuries)

One of the finest all-rounders in cricket history, Jacques Kallis was the first person to score five centuries in a row almost 70 years after Bradman’s six. Kallis achieved the feat during a home series against West Indies and in an away test in New Zealand.

• Kallis’ first century came during the first test of West Indies touring South Africa in 2003-04 in Johannesburg. He scored 158 runs in the first innings and 44 in the second innings as South Africa beat the West Indies by 189 runs.
• In the following match, South Africa scored 658 runs thanks to a knock of 177 runs from Kallis. South Africa won the match by an innings and 65 runs despite Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan scoring centuries.
• Kallis once again put up a great performance in the third test. The South African all-rounder scored 73 runs in the first innings and followed it up with an unbeaten century in the second innings. The match was eventually drawn.
• Kallis scored a century in the first innings of the final test match of the series. He scored 130 runs in the first as South Africa eventually won the match by 10 wickets.
• In the first match against New Zealand and put on a great performance scoring 92 runs in the first innings, taking 3 wickets in the second innings and scoring 150 runs in the third innings.

Mohammad Yousuf (5 centuries)

Mohammad Yousuf was one of the most prolific batters from Pakistan. He played 90 tests and scored 24 centuries for the ‘Men in Green’. He scored five centuries in a row in an away tour of England and in a home series against the West Indies.

• Yousuf came close to scoring a double-century in the third test against England at Leeds. Despite Yousuf’s 192 and Younis Khan’s century, Pakistan lost the match by 167 runs.
• Yousuf scored another century in the final match which went on to become infamous. Yousuf scored 128 runs in the first innings. But the row between the Pakistan team and the umpires bagged all the headlines. The Inzamam-ul-Haq-led side was accused of ball tampering by umpire Darrell Hair and in response, Pakistan refused to come back to the field after tea on Day 4 and hence forfeited the match.
• Yousuf once again came close to scoring a double-century. He scored 192 runs in the first test against the West Indies at Lahore. Pakistan won the match by nine wickets.
• Yousuf once again came close to scoring a double-century. He scored 191 runs in the second test match. The match was eventually drawn.
• Yousuf in the following test match scored twin centuries in the first and second innings. He scored 102 in the first innings and 124 in the second innings.

Gautam Gambhir (5 centuries)

Gautam Gambhir the man responsible for two ICC tournament wins for India features fourth on this list. He scored five centuries in a row during a three-match series in New Zealand, a three-match home series against Sri Lanka and a two-match series against Bangladesh.

• Gambhir’s first century is one of the best knocks played by an Indian batter in overseas conditions. The left-handed batter scored 137 runs in 436 in the second innings after India was asked to follow on. Gambhir century was essential in India drawing the test match as the Indian opener batter for close to 11 hours in Napier.
• Gambhir was once again the star performer for India in the third test match at Wellington. After scoring just 23 runs in the first, he scored 167 in the second innings to draw the test match and win the series 1-0.
• Sri Lanka toured India for a three-match series and in the first test Gambhir scored a century in the second innings. He scored 114 runs in the drawn match.
• In the following test match at Kanpur, the hosts put on a batting masterclass in the first innings and scored 642 runs. Gambhir was the top scorer for India and scored 167 runs. India bowled out Sri Lanka twice to win the match by an innings and 144 runs.
• Touring Bangladesh, Gambhir scored his fifth century on the trot during the first test at Chattogram. He scored 116 runs in just 129 during the second innings as India went on to defeat their neighbours by 113 runs.

Conclusion

Consistency in Test cricket remains an arduous feat, exemplified by Don Bradman’s six consecutive centuries against England. Jacques Kallis and Mohammad Yousuf followed suit with five back-to-back hundreds, showcasing their remarkable batting prowess. Gautam Gambhir’s overseas brilliance and dominance against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh highlighted his mettle.

With Kane Williamson on the brink of a historic fifth consecutive century against Bangladesh in the upcoming test from December 6th, anticipation fills the cricketing realm. These stalwarts’ achievements underscore the enduring quest for consistency in the longest format, leaving an indelible mark on the sport’s history.