Top 3 fastest Test centuries 

Test cricket is considered the purest form of the game. It has been framed to test the temperament and techniques of batters and bowlers. Bowlers need to be calm and composed to get rid of slow and frustrating batting innings as batsmen usually bat slowly in Test cricket.  

However, many times some batters have been in beast mode to smash bowlers like T20Is. From Kapil Dev to Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, and Virender Sehwag, there have been many such batsmen who have always been seen batting fast even in Test cricket. Today in this article we will discuss the top 3 fastest centuries in Test cricket.

3. Misbah-Ul-Haq (56 balls vs Australia, 2014) 

Pakistan has always been a bowling powerhouse but they have produced some of the batting greats too. Misbah-Ul-Haq has been one of the greatest batters for Pakistan in the longest format of the game. The former Pakistan captain has been phenomenal throughout his career and has scored more than 5000 Test runs.

Misbah has some great records behind his name as he has smashed the fastest Test fifty and the Third fastest Test century. his record-breaking innings came against Australia in 2014. Misbah smashed centuries in both innings but in the first innings, He scored the century off just 56 balls that comprised 10 fours and a six. In the second innings, he smashed a Test fifty in just 21 balls making it the fastest in Tests.

2. Sir Vivian Richards (56 balls vs England, 1986) 

Sir Vivian Richards is one of the biggest superstars of the game. He has been phenomenal throughout his career and his numbers in the game suggest the same. Although he has been a pure class and technique-based player he also could hit hard. With his ultimate beast-mode batting he registered the fastest Test century of that time. 

This record-breaking inning came during the England Tour of the West Indies in 1986. West Indies was leading the Test series by 4-0 and in the fifth Test, they were in driving seat. In the second innings, Windies needed some quick runs to declare soon. 

Viv Richards came in with blitzing innings. He smashed the fastest Test century in just 56 balls breaking Jack George’s 66-year-old record. The record was later shared by Misbah-ul-Haq before Brendon McCullum broke it with his great 54 balls hundred in his last test.

1. Brendon McCullum (54 balls vs Australia, 2016) 

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum holds the record for the fastest century in test cricket. McCullum has been known as one of the most attacking batters in the limited-overs formats. However, against Australia in 2016 during Christ Church Test the Kiwi captain batted in God mode. He destroyed every bowler to register the fastest Test century breaking Viv Richards’ 30-year-old record. In his innings, he made a century in just 54 deliveries. McCullum was playing his last Test match when he smashed the record-breaking innings. 85% of the runs which McCullum scored came through boundaries. His innings concluded at 145 runs off just 79 deliveries which comprised a total of 21 fours and 6 sixes.