Even though batting in the Test format is considered tough, a few select batters have scored runs for fun. And not just a handful of runs, but remarkable Test centuries.
Some swashbuckling batters like Brendon McCullum, Viv Richards, and David Warner have etched their names in the record books by scoring the fastest Test hundreds.
In this article, let’s take a look at the top 10 fastest centuries in Test cricket history.
Fastest Centuries in Test Cricket
| Player | Balls Taken to 100 | Against | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendon McCullum (NZ) | 54 | Australia | Christchurch | 2016 |
| Viv Richards (WI) | 56 | England | St John’s | 1986 |
| Misbah-ul-Haq (PAK) | 56 | Australia | Abu Dhabi | 2014 |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 57 | England | Perth | 2006 |
| Jack Gregory (AUS) | 67 | South Africa | Johannesburg | 1921 |
| Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) | 69 | Australia | Georgetown | 2003 |
| David Warner (AUS) | 69 | India | Perth | 2012 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 70 | Australia | Perth | 2009 |
| Roy Fredericks (WI) | 71 | Australia | Perth | 1975 |
| Colin de Grandhomme (NZ) | 71 | West Indies | Wellington | 2017 |
Key Insights
54: New Zealand’s former captain, Brendon McCullum, played a breathtaking knock in what was his last Test match. McCullum signed off from international cricket by scoring the fastest Test century while batting against Australia in the 2nd Test. He reached his hundred off just 54 balls, leaving everyone awestruck by his blistering innings.
30: When McCullum hammered the fastest hundred in Tests, he went past Viv Richards’ 30-year-old record of scoring a Test hundred off 56 balls. Richards’, the Caribbean legend, achieved this feat in 1986, when such knocks were just the stuff of dreams.
186: Brendon McCullum also notched up one of the fastest Test double-hundreds. He brought up his double century in 186 deliveries.
