Top 10 Fastest Century in Test – Full List & Records

Test cricket is widely regarded as the ultimate version of the game. Over the years, Test cricket has evolved as time has passed by. Nowadays, cricketers have become more aggressive in their approach. They play strokes and try to win matches rather than escaping with a draw. With the advent of modern attacking techniques and fearless mindsets, even the longest format of the game is being played at a much faster pace. Test cricket requires a lot of patience, determination, and resilience. Some batters, however, like to play at a quick pace and score hundreds. Today, we will dive into the list of cricketers to score the fastest century in Test cricket.

Top 10 Fastest Century in Test Cricket - Updated List

Many batters have produced an innings where they were in the conversation for the fastest century in Test cricket. Fans have often seen young superstars break the record for the top 10 fastest centuries in T20. This time, having taken a brief look at the sport's history, we have picked only the top 10 batters who shattered all records in the longest format of the sport. From the likes of Brendon McCullum to Vivian Richards, some of these batters have showcased their aggressive cricketing approach and have scored the fastest century in Test cricket. Below we have listed the top 10 fastest centuries in Test cricket.

Who Has the Fastest Hundred in Test Cricket?

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum changed the dynamics of playing the fast bowlers across formats by stepping out and smacking them for massive sixes with ease. He showed young batters how to attack some of the greatest bowlers of world cricket. McCullum, while smashing the bowlers, created a record for scoring the fastest century in Test. He achieved this milestone against Australia. He also has the record for the 4th fastest double century in test cricket.

10. Colin de Grandhomme (New Zealand) | 71 balls vs West Indies

Colin de Grandhomme has been one of the hardest hitters across formats. The New Zealand all-rounder's prowess mainly lies in the limited-overs format of the game. The Kiwi all-rounder was a member of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2019 Cricket World Cup and also the 2021 ICC WTC, which they won against India. He has been highly rated by New Zealand cricket for his explosive, aggressive batting abilities and medium pace bowling as well.

Colin de Grandhomme has the record of scoring the fastest century in Test cricket. The all-rounder achieved the milestone against the West Indies back in the 2017/18 season, in Wellington. He scored 105 runs off 74 balls while he brought his hundred up in just 71 balls, making him rank in the 10th fastest century in Test cricket. He also has the record for scoring the fastest fifty in Test cricket, which he scored in just 29 balls.

9. Roy Fredericks (West Indies) | 71 balls vs Australia

Roy Fredericks of the West Indies was one of the few batters who established himself by counterattacking the great pace bowlers of the 1970s. He was an opening batter for the West Indies in both Test and ODI, and scored 4334 Test runs in just nine years. He was also a member of the Caribbean team that won the World Cup in 1975.

Fredericks became the first player in ODI history to be removed for a hit wicket, as well as the first in World Cup history. The Windies batsman is best renowned for his blazing performance in Perth in 1975-76, when he raced to one of the most remarkable Test hundreds ever. He scored the fastest century in Test against the likes of Dennis Lille and Jeff Thomson in the same tour. He was the first Windies cricketer to achieve the milestone of the fastest century in Test cricket.

8. Chris Gayle (West Indies) | 70 balls vs Australia

Chris Gayle was known for his aggressive batting style and was a nightmare for any bowler across formats. He has the most runs in the T20 format of the game, making him one of the most successful cricketers in the shortest format. However, many fans do not know that Chris Gayle has two triple hundreds in Test cricket, which came against South Africa and Sri Lanka, respectively.

The West Indies legend has broken numerous records across formats, and one such feat is the fastest century in Test cricket. The Southpaw achieved this rare milestone against the mighty Aussies in the 2009/10 tour in Perth, a venue known for its fiery pace and bounce. This time, it was a powerful innings from the left-handed Windies opener who played a knock of 102 runs off just 72 balls.

7. David Warner (Australia) | 69 balls vs India

David Warner has been one of the most explosive batters of this generation. He was aggressive across formats for the Aussies and in various T20 leagues as well, marking his impact in the game. Last year, he bid adieu to Test cricket after playing his final series against Pakistan. Warner was a part of the team that won the ICC ODI World Cup in 2015, 2023 for the Aussies. The Southpaw is one of Australia’s leading run-scorers in ODIs. He scored the fastest hundred in Test cricket against India back in 2011/12. He scored 180 runs in the first innings, with the Aussies won the game by an inning and 37 runs against the Men in Blue. He was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his exceptional performance.

6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) | 69 balls vs Australia

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was one of the classiest batters in world cricket. His unique stance was the main attraction of his playing the game, as he showed much class and elegance with his unorthodox batting stance. The Southpaw was considered one of the greatest batters of his era. Chanderpaul has numerous records to his name. He also made the top 10 list of the highest run scorers of all time in International cricket and the 9th highest in Test cricket.

Chanderpaul was more of a Test player for the Windies. He had solid defence, and with his calm and composed way of batting, he could dismantle the best bowling attacks. He did something similar against the Aussies back in 2002/03 when the Kangaroos came to the West Indies. He, during the first test, made the Aussie bowlers look like schoolboys, where he scored the fastest century in test cricket. He scored a hundred off just 69 balls, but it eventually came in a losing cause.

5. Jack Gregory (Australia) | 67 balls vs South Africa

Jack Gregory was primarily known as a fast bowler who could bat. He played in 24 Tests between 1920 and 1928 for Australia. He came into the light for his fearsome bowling, and also averaged 36.50 and scored 1146 runs, including two centuries, while batting left-handed and gloveless. His greatest bowling figures were 7/69 in an innings and 8/101 in the 1920/21 Test against England at the MCG.

Gregory did the impossible during the early 1920s. In the Test against South Africa in Johannesburg back in 1921, he scored a hundred off 67 balls. It was etched as the fastest century in Test cricket history, before it was broken in 1985. Later on, he had the record of taking 15 catches in the 1920–21 Ashes series, which is still the record for the most catches taken by a fielder in a single Test series.

4. Adam Gilchrist (Australia) | 57 balls vs England

Adam Gilchrist has been one of the finest openers for Australia in limited-over formats. He, alongside Mathew Hayden, created nightmares for the bowlers while opening the innings for the side. The Southpaw is only the first Australian opener to score a hundred in the ODI World Cup Final. He achieved the milestone against Sri Lanka in the 2007 final.

Gilly has been a legend for Australia in the red ball format, where he bats down the order at no.7. In this position, he has played some of the greatest Test innings for the Kangaroos. One such innings came against England in the 2006/07 Ashes series. In the third Test in WACA Perth, he scored the fastest century in Test cricket. Gilchrist also has the record for the 10th fastest double century in Test cricket, which he achieved against South Africa.

3. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) | 56 balls vs Australia

Misbah-ul-Haq has been one of the finest cricketers for Pakistan. He captained Pakistan across formats. Misbah was also the former head coach and chief selector of the Men in Green. He helped the Men in Green to win the 2012 Asia Cup and was a member of the team that won the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup. He was the villain in the 2007 T20 World Cup final after playing a reckless shot in the final against India, causing a defeat.

Misbah has the record for scoring the fastest fifty and 3rd fastest century in Test cricket in the same innings. He secured this achievement in the game against Australia in Abu Dhabi. First, he scored a fifty in just 21 balls, then converted it into a three-figure mark in just 56 balls in 2014. This remains one of the iconic Test innings for the Pakistan batter.

2. Sir Vivian Richards (West Indies) | 56 balls vs England

Sir Vivian Richards has been one of the fearsome batters of his era. The West Indies superstar had a different aura during his playing days. His aggressive attitude and ability to dominate bowlers helped the West Indies win many games. He had an amazing average of 66.51 with the bat in the red ball format. He was a member of the squads that won the 1975 Cricket World Cup and the 1979 Cricket World Cup.

Viv Richards' fearless attitude, matched by his terrific stroke play, proved a nightmare for bowlers worldwide. He broke the long-held record of Jack Gregory for the fastest century in a test. He scored the fastest century in Test cricket against England in the 1985/86, which was later broken nearly two decades later by Brendon McCullum.

1. Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) | 54 balls vs Australia

Brendon McCullum has been one of the most flamboyant batters of his era. He showed the world how to play aggressive cricket against the pace bowlers, especially in the powerplay. He stepped out and smacked the bowlers out of the park with ease. His innings in the group stage game against Australia was one of the finest ODI innings of his career.

The former New Zealand captain has been a sensational opener for the Kiwis; he single-handedly led the side in the 2015 ICC Men's ODI World Cup final. However, he batted lower down the order in Test cricket. He still created history, breaking the record of Sir Vivian Richards' decades-old record for the fastest century in Test cricket history. The wicket-keeper batter achieved this feat against Australia in the 2015/16 series. He brought up the hundred in just 54 balls in his final Test match of his career, and this was a fairy tale ending to his iconic red ball career, where he scored 145 runs off 79 deliveries, hitting 21 fours and 6 sixes.