Top 25 Fastest Hundred in Test Cricket – the game’s original format – is seen as more patient, skilful and lasting. Yet, in the last couple of years many players have turned that notion on its head with some incredible batting which left everyone’s mouths open. A century in Tests is a fine celebration – but at an astonishing rate? That’s pure brilliance.
Here we examine the fastest hundred in Test cricket – the 25 record-breaking knocks that redefined red-ball batting.
What is The Fastest Hundred in Test Cricket History?
The fastest Test century is the 54-ball hundred scored by Brendon McCullum against Australia in Christchurch, also on that ground, in 2016. It was a dramatic farewell for the Kiwi great in his final Test, and his score eclipsed Sir Viv Richards’ 30-year benchmark.
Top 25 Fastest Hundred in Test Cricket
| Rank | Player Name | Balls | Team | Vs | 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 |
| 8 | Chris Gayle | 70 | West Indies | Australia | Perth | 2009 |
| 9 | Roy Fredericks | 71 | West Indies | Australia | Perth | 1975 |
| 10 | Colin de Grandhomme | 71 | New Zealand | West Indies | Wellington | 2017 |
| 11 | Majid Khan | 74 | Pakistan | New Zealand | Karachi | 1976 |
| 12 | Mohammad Azharuddin | 74 | India | South Africa | Kolkata | 1996 |
| 13 | Brendon McCullum | 74 | New Zealand | Sri Lanka | Christchurch | 2014 |
| 14 | AB de Villiers | 75 | South Africa | India | Centurion | 2010 |
| 15 | Gilbert Jessop | 76 | England | Australia | The Oval | 1902 |
| 16 | Brian Lara | 77 | West Indies | Pakistan | Multan | 2006 |
| 17 | Jonny Bairstow | 77 | England | New Zealand | Nottingham | 2022 |
| 18 | Shahid Afridi | 78 | Pakistan | West Indies | Bridgetown | 2005 |
| 19 | Shahid Afridi | 78 | Pakistan | India | Lahore | 2006 |
| 20 | Virender Sehwag | 78 | India | West Indies | Gros Islet | 2006 |
| 21 | Brendon McCullum | 78 | New Zealand | Pakistan | Sharjah | 2014 |
| 22 | David Warner | 78 | Australia | Pakistan | Sydney | 2017 |
| 23 | Jamie Smith | 80 | England | India | Edgbaston | 2025 |
| 24 | Ben Stokes | 85 | England | New Zealand | Cape Town | 2016 |
| 25 | Rishabh Pant | 89 | India | England | Ahmedabad | 2021 |
Brendon McCullum – 54 Balls vs Australia
In their captain’s last Test, it was the innings of his life that McCullum delivered. Facing a strong Australian pace attack, he raced to 100 from just 54 balls — the fastest in Test cricket history. By the time he was done, finally, when Cherappa’s eight over 19th was bowled out, Mendis had made 145 from 79 balls, with 21 fours and six sixes. It was an appropriate swan-song for New Zealand’s gallant skipper.
Viv Richards – 56 Balls vs England
The mark had previously been held by Sir Viv Richards for almost 30 years. His 56-ball century against England at Antigua has been pure domination. The insouciance of Richards’ stroke play and withering brunt were underwritten by total confidence to consign this innings to West Indies folklore.
Misbah-ul-Haq – 56 Balls vs Australia
Misbah was always an epitome of a sighing soul but he had his audience gasping in amazement when he scored 56-ball hundred against Australia in Abu Dhabi. This was on the same scale as one of Viv Richards, a case that even an exquisitely cultivated style could conceal a wildness waiting to leap out.
Adam Gilchrist – 57 Balls vs England
Adam Gilchrist’s fastest ton, which came off 57 balls in the Ashes at Perth was typical Gilly. Having scored a duck in the first innings, he made England’s bowlers regret all of it and tiered an unbeaten 102 off 51 deliveries. His counter-punch sealed the game and Australia a 2-1 win in the Ashes series.
Jack Gregory – 67 Balls vs South Africa
As long ago as 1921 compelling evidence of the pace required to dominate at international level had been provided by Jack Gregory, Australia’s supreme all-rounder, and he maintained a longest-held record for more than six decades. Local scoring during his Johannesburg century ran at a time when strike rates were slow to bust the 50s. He slammed 119 in just 85 minutes, a fantastic display at that time.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul – 69 Balls vs Australia
Chanderpaul’s hundred was fantastic – he did it with the West Indies in ruins at 53/5. He counter-attacked the Aussies in mere 69 balls which consisted of 15 fours and two maximums, thereby, taking his team fightback to their opponents. It is one of the most undervalued Test innings in history.
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David Warner – 69 Balls vs India
Warner’s 69-ball hundred against India in Perth was a demonstration of why he’s one of the most destructive openers of all time. He dismantled India’s attack, scoring 180 from 159 balls. His buccaneering technique reinvented present-day Test opening batting.
Chris Gayle – 70 Balls vs Australia
The “Universe Boss” bought his T20 aggression to Tests with this 70-ball ton in Perth. Gayle’s 101 off 72 balls was studded with 9 fours and six maximums- a pure show of dominance against the fairytale Australian bowling attack.
Roy Fredericks – 71 Balls vs Australia
Fredericks’ innings had come against an onslaught of Lillee and Thomson on the WACA – one of the quickest tracks going around. He scored 169 from only 145 balls, elevating the art of Test match strokemaking to a new stratosphere.
Colin de Grandhomme – 71 Balls vs West Indies
De Grandhomme’s power 105 off 74 balls illustrated the blunt force that all-rounder has at his golli-wielding fingertips. It was a match-shifting innings that swung the game at No.7 by New Zealand.
Fastest Hundred in Test by Indian Players
While India’s generations typically have been packed with technically proficient batters, several stars this World Cup demonstrated they could also hit the ball hard and score at a fast pace. Here are some of the Indian mentions in name:
- 74 balls दक्कन का हथौड मोहम्मद अजहरुद्दीन – 14 March 1996 साउत अफ्रिका11996 Vs South Africa
- Virender Sehwag – 78 balls vs West Indies, 2006
- Kapil Dev – 86 balls vs England (1982) Source: ESPN Cricinfo Fastest centuries by Indian players in Test cricket Kapil Dev’s hundred is iconic.
- 4) Rishabh Pant – 89 balls vs England (2021) The Indian wicket-keeper batsman smashed English bowlers all around the park and brought up one of most grand centuries in his fourth Test, in terms of balls faced.
- Hardik Pandya – 94 balls vs Sri Lanka (2017) This was some incredible stuff from Hardik Pandya, blasting his way to the 4th quickest hundred on this side of the New Millennium.
It’s not just the God, these innings are testament to how Indian cricket moved on
Jamie Smith: 80 – Ball Century vs India 2025
The newest member of this select group is England’s young wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith. He did all he could in 2025, when he made a rearguard, unbeaten 104 in the Edgbaston Test against India Australia were up shit’s creek of course at 84-5 for his lot.
He launched a mind-boggling 80-ball century and was left unbeaten on 184. Together with a long innings from Harry Brook, it helped England pile up a big total and go on to win the match. Smith’s innings has already been celebrated as one of the great counter-attacking hundreds in recent Test history.
Why Fastest Test Hundred Matters
Through the tenacious mountains To the sweet valleys of release Quickfire Test hundreds are not just for entertainment – they can change the course of an entire match. A quick hundred can:
- Break the opposition’s morale.
- Shift momentum instantly.
- Bowl them a tad longer to strike.”
- Get the pack in, fans as well, and Test cricket won’t be boring.
In the age of T20, these striking knocks keep the “gentlemen’s game” kicking and alive.
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Final Thoughts
Best of the 100: The Top 25 Fastest Hundred in Test Cricket – As it happened, from Jack Gregory in 1921 to Jamie Smith in 2025*, these rich few of men who surpassed every generation with their windows-of-opportunity-busting centuries.
But nearly a decade later, and Brendon McCullum’s blitzkrieg 54-ball century is still standing. It stands as a tribute to courageous Test batting, and for the generations to follow.
With a greater premium on attacking players [ooh er] like Ben Stokes, Harry Brook and Rishabh Pant altering the definition of red-ball cricket, another new record-breaking 139 not out could well be around the corner — waiting to be beaten.
