Top 7 Fastest Centuries in Tests Cricket History

Test cricket is the longest format of the game.

Test cricket is the longest format of the game. Matches last for five days. Batsmen typically build their innings slowly. They defend good balls and score runs off the bad ones. They wear down the bowlers over hours and sessions. A Test century usually takes between 150 and 200 balls.

The fastest Test centuries are different. They are scored in fewer than seventy balls. This requires attacking from the start and playing without restraint. It requires hitting boundaries every few overs. It takes courage because one mistake means getting out and missing the opportunity. Seven players in cricket history have scored the fastest Test centuries. The fastest century was scored in just fifty-four balls. The slowest of these seven centuries was scored in sixty-nine balls. All of them changed the course of the match and are still remembered today.

Top 7 Fastest Centuries in Tests

Rank	Player	Balls	Team	Against	Venue	Year
1	Brendon McCullum	54	New Zealand	Australia	Christchurch	2016
2	Viv Richards	56	West Indies	England	St John’s	1986
3	Misbah-ul-Haq	56	Pakistan	Australia	Abu Dhabi	2014
4	Adam Gilchrist	57	Australia	England	Perth	2006
5	Jack Gregory	67	Australia	South Africa	Johannesburg	1921
6	Shivnarine Chanderpaul	69	West Indies	Australia	Georgetown	2003
7	David Warner	69	Australia	India	Perth	2012

1. Brendon McCullum

Brendon McCullum is from New Zealand. He scored the fastest Test century in cricket history, achieving the feat in just 54 balls. This match took place in Christchurch in 2016 between New Zealand and Australia. It was his last Test match before his retirement.

Fifty-four balls means scoring a century in less than ten overs. This is extraordinary in Test cricket. The bowling is generally more defensive compared to limited-overs cricket. The field is set to prevent boundaries, and bowlers can afford to be patient. McCullum didn’t give them that opportunity.

He had announced before the match that he would be retiring afterward. He decided to go out with a bang. Australia’s bowling attack was one of the best in the world. Yet, he attacked them relentlessly. Boundaries were flowing freely. The crowd witnessed something they had never seen before in Test cricket. He completed his century in 54 balls and continued scoring runs until he was finally dismissed.

This innings was the perfect farewell to his career. It showcased everything he embodied as a batsman: courage, aggression, and a willingness to take risks. This record still stands today. No one has scored a century faster in Test cricket.

2. Viv Richards

Viv Richards is from the West Indies. He scored a century off 56 balls against England in St. John’s in 1986. This record stood as the fastest Test century for thirty years until Misbah-ul-Haq equaled it.

Richards is considered one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history. His 56-ball century demonstrates his ability to dominate any bowling attack. England’s bowling attack was of international standard, yet he dismantled it. The boundaries were struck with immense power and perfect timing. He hit the ball so hard that the bowlers couldn’t even adjust their plans.

St. John’s is in Antigua. The crowd was predominantly West Indian. They watched Richards decimate England and savored every moment. This innings became legendary. When people discuss the most devastating batting performances in Test cricket history, Richards’ innings in St. John’s is always mentioned.

3. Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq is from Pakistan. He scored a century in 56 balls against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014. He equaled the record set by Viv Richards 28 years earlier.

Misbah was known as a cautious batsman who built his innings gradually. Against Australia, he displayed a completely different side to his game. He attacked from the very beginning. Despite facing a strong Australian bowling attack, he scored freely. Fifty-six balls for a century, without making a single mistake, demonstrates consistently aggressive batting.

This innings came at a time when Pakistan needed quick runs. Misbah delivered. He scored 100 runs in 56 balls and put Pakistan in a position where they could defend their total. His rapid-fire innings also played a crucial role in winning the match. By equaling Richards’ record, he joined the ranks of the greatest players.

4. Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist is from Australia. He scored a century in 57 balls against England in Perth in 2006. This happened during the Ashes series. The Ashes matches between Australia and England are known for their intense pressure and rich history.

Gilchrist was a wicketkeeper who batted in the lower middle order. He came in when Australia needed quick runs and delivered a spectacular performance. The way he scored a century in 57 balls shows that he attacked almost every ball. The English bowlers set defensive fields, but he still managed to hit boundaries.

Perth is in Western Australia. Most of the spectators were Australian. They watched Gilchrist dismantle the English bowling attack and celebrated every boundary. This innings helped Australia win the match and ultimately the Ashes series. The rapid scoring by a wicketkeeper-batsman at number seven proved that quick runs can be scored from anywhere in the batting order.

5. Jack Gregory

Jack Gregory was an Australian. He scored a century off 67 balls against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1921. This was more than a hundred years ago. Cricket was different then. The bats were different. The pitches were different. The fielding was set differently.

Gregory’s century off 67 balls in 1921 demonstrates his extraordinary talent. Today’s players have better equipment and training. Gregory had none of that. He relied on timing, power, and fearlessness. The South African bowling attack faced an onslaught they couldn’t contain.

This record stood for many decades. Even today, more than a hundred years later, only six other batsmen have scored a Test century faster. Gregory’s name is mentioned alongside those of McCullum, Richards, and Gilchrist. It’s a remarkable achievement that has endured across different eras of cricket.

6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul

Shivnarine Chanderpaul is from the West Indies. He scored a century off 69 balls against Australia in Georgetown in 2003. Chanderpaul was known as a defensive batsman who built his innings patiently and spent hours at the crease.

Against Australia in Georgetown, he showed that he could also play aggressively. Scoring a century in 69 balls is a remarkable feat. Australia’s bowling attack was world-class, and Chanderpaul dominated them. This innings was unusual for him because his playing style was typically more measured. It demonstrated his ability to adapt his game to the situation.

Georgetown is in Guyana. The West Indies crowd witnessed one of their own dismantling the Australian bowling attack. This innings allowed the West Indies to compete in a match they might otherwise have lost. Chanderpaul’s versatility was evident. He could patiently defend for hours or play aggressively to score quick runs, depending on the team’s needs.

7. David Warner

David Warner is from Australia. He scored a century in 69 balls against India in Perth in 2012. Warner is known for his aggressive opening batting. He displayed tremendous aggression against India.

Scoring a hundred runs in 69 balls means hitting a boundary almost every over. The Indian bowling attack tried various tactics, but Warner continued his relentless assault. Perth is in Western Australia, and the pitch there is typically good for fast bowlers. Warner capitalized on the pace of the pitch to score even faster.

This innings determined the course of the match. Australia posted a massive score, which India failed to chase. Warner’s 69-ball innings demonstrated that modern Test cricket includes aggressive batting that would have seemed impossible in earlier times. He equaled Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s record and joined the list of players with the fastest Test centuries.