As T20 cricket takes the world by storm, batsmen around the world are stepping up their game in both ODIs and Test cricket formats. Hitting a century in an international cricket match is an incredible achievement in itself but hitting the fastest century in Test cricket – the most demanding and legendary format of cricket – is something entirely different. Prepare to relive some of the fastest hundreds in tests ever achieved by Indian batsmen in this classic format.
Despite the fact that test matches seem slower than T20s, some hitters still enjoy hitting long balls! Do you remember Brendon McCullum’s incredible 54-ball century that broke the record? Unbelievable right!
However, India is also home to some incredible hitters! Here are the top 5 fastest 100s in a test match an Indian batsman has ever scored.
Let us explore the India’s Fastest Test Centuries
5. Hardik Pandya’s Record-Breaking Century in 86 Balls
Although he has only played three Test matches, ‘Kung-fu-Pandya’, as everyone refers to him, has already set several records.
Pandya, who came from a humble background, had a difficult and devious path to climb the Indian cricket all-rounders list to the highest echelons. He was sometimes compared to the great all-rounder Kapil Dev.
Pandya scored his fastest century in a Test match at Pallekele against Sri Lanka. In addition, he broke the record by being the first Indian batsman to reach a century in a Test match right before lunch. He also established a record of 26 runs in an over during an Indian Test innings, which was later overtaken by Jasprit Bumrah.
He batted at number eight and followed an easy, aggressive route to score 100 for India in 86 balls. Seven sixes and eight fours helped him get there.
4. Shikhar Dhawan’s Fastest Test Century in 85 Balls
As everyone knows, Shikhar Dhawan is one of the best attacking batsmen in Test cricket. He made a spectacular 187 against Australia in Mohali on his Test debut.
On the third day of the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Trophy test match, India took the field in an attempt to match Australia’s first-inning total of 408 runs.
India responded with a respectable 499 runs thanks to centuries from openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay.
In just 85 balls, Dhawan scored 110 runs and hit 21 fours during the inning. It was, without a doubt, the fastest century in a test ever reached by a batsman making his cricket debut. Dhawan scored 187 runs at a strike rate of 107.47 to end his inning.
Australia lost that Test match by six wickets after being run out for 223 in the second innings. For his outstanding innings, Dhawan was awarded the Man of the Match Award.
3. Virender Sehwag’s Rapid Fire Century in 78 Balls
The person who is “cool as a cucumber,” Virender Sehwag, comes in third place on the list. One of the toughest and most violent batsmen in Test cricket history. It should come as no surprise that Viru is included on this list since the former Indian opening batsman used to frighten the opposition bowlers.
During India’s 2006–07 West Indies tour, Sehwag destroyed the Caribbean bowlers by scoring a century in just 78 balls. It was St. Lucia’s second test in the series.
In the first inning, India scored a massive 588 runs. Viru was on the field for 287 minutes, during which time he hit 20 fours and two sixes while scoring 180 runs off 190 balls.
Even though the match finished in a disappointing draw, India won 1-0 in the four-match Test series.
2. Mohammad Azharuddin’s Lightning Fast Century in 74 Balls
Mohammad Azharuddin, the former captain of India, was known for his ability to score runs quickly and play wristy shots with ease.
The remarkable innings of Azharuddin during the second Test match of the 1996 India-South Africa Test series will live on in history forever. In front of an energetic crowd in Eden Garden, he scored a classic fastest century in a test. Andrew Hudson and Garry Kirsten, the two visiting openers, both scored hundreds as South Africa managed to score 428 in the first innings. India scored 329 runs in response.
In the match, Mohammad Azharuddin scored a rapid century. In just 74 balls, he reached his century with 107 runs off 77 balls, matching the record set by his older teammate Kapil Dev during the 1986–1987 tournament.
With an astounding strike rate of 141.55 during the 132-minute innings, he hit 18 fours and 1 six, but what really stood out was how he consistently found openings to twist his miraculous wrist.
But India lost by 329 runs in the Eden Test.
1. Kapil Dev’s Historic Fastest Century in 74 Balls
This time around, the former Indian captain’s name appears on this elite list at the top. Even though Indian cricket now features a lot of aggressive, hard-hitting batsmen, Kapil still holds the record for the fastest century in test cricket scored by an Indian batsman.
In the 1986-1987 Test series against Sri Lanka, this historic inning took place. In just 74 balls, Kapil Dev exceeded the hundred-run mark, literally torturing the ball and guiding it to every part of the ground.
After taking two wickets in the first innings at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, Kapil Dev grabbed control of the bat as well in response to Sri Lanka’s 420 runs in the first innings.
With a strike rate of 98.78, he scored 163 runs off of 165 balls. During the 240-minute over, he hit one six and nine fours.
In that match, India scored 676 runs with centuries from both Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin, but the match ended in a draw.
We’ve just seen some remarkable achievements! We witnessed the incredible speed with which Indian batters achieved the fastest century in test cricket.
These innings highlight that even fast batting in Test cricket can be thrilling, from Shikhar Dhawan’s elegant century in his first-ever match to Kapil Dev’s thunderous, record-breaking century in just 74 balls. Thus, Test cricket will always be a terrific sport to watch, exhibiting both incredible force and patience at the same time!
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