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Top 10 Fastest Century in Test – Full List & Records

Summary
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.
List of Top 10 Fastest Century in Test Cricket (2025 Updated)
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. Below we have listed the top 10 fastest hundred in Test cricket.
| Rank | Player Name | Country | Balls | Opponent | Year | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 54 | Australia | 2015/16 | Christchurch |
| 2 | Sir Vivian Richards | West Indies | 56 | England | 1985/86 | St John's |
| 3 | Misbah-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 56 | Australia | 2014/15 | Abu Dhabi |
| 4 | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 57 | England | 2006/07 | Perth |
| 5 | Jack Gregory | Australia | 67 | South Africa | 1921/22 | Johannesburg |
| 6 | Shivnarine Chanderpaul | West Indies | 69 | Australia | 2002/03 | Georgetown |
| 7 | David Warner | Australia | 69 | India | 2011/12 | Perth |
| 8 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 70 | Australia | 2009/10 | Perth |
| 9 | Roy Fredericks | West Indies | 71 | Australia | 1975/76 | Perth |
| 10 | Colin de Grandhomme | New Zealand | 71 | West Indies | 2017/18 | Wellington |
Who Has the Fastest Century in Test Cricket History?
The red-ball cricket is one of those formats that is played with patience and grit, but some players show the opposite of the natural flow of this format. Many players have played test cricket at a very fast pace in scoring runs. Here are the other fastest century in test cricket history.
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. 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 bringing his hundred up in just 71 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. 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 this milestone.
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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. However, many fans do not know that Chris Gayle has two triple hundreds in Test cricket. 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. He scored the fastest hundred in Test cricket against India back in 2011/12. He scored 180 runs in the first innings, as the Aussies won the game by an innings and 37 runs against the Men in Blue. David Warner was adjudged the Player of the Match for his exceptional performance.
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6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) | 69 balls vs Australia

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was one of the classiest batters in world 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. 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.
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4. Adam Gilchrist (Australia) | 57 balls vs England

Adam Gilchrist has been one of the finest openers for Australia in limited-over formats. 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 at WACA in Perth, scoring one of the fastest hundred in test cricket in just 57 balls against England.
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 has the record for scoring the fastest fifty 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 greatest batsman of all time. 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 series, 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. 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. Brendon McCullum 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest test century in history?
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What is the fastest test century in history?
Brendon McCullum's 100 off 54 balls is the fastest test century in history.
What is the fastest century in Test cricket history?
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What is the fastest century in Test cricket history?
Brendon McCullum's 100 off 54 balls is the fastest Test cricket history.
Who hit 500 runs in the test?
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Who hit 500 runs in the test?
No batter has ever hit 500 runs in the Test.
Who scored 1 run in 100 balls in Test cricket?
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Who scored 1 run in 100 balls in Test cricket?
Rahul Dravid has scored 1 run in 100 balls in test cricket.
Who hit 77 runs in one over?
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Who hit 77 runs in one over?
Bert Vance has hit 77 runs in one over.
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