Virender Sehwag Fastest Triple Centuries in Test Cricket (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
Triple centuries in Test cricket are rare and remarkable achievements. Historically, Test batting was looked at as a work of more patience, with players accumulating runs over long periods. However, with Test cricket transforming, some batters approach the format with an aggressive mindset, more commonly similar to limited-overs cricket.
Some innings stand out not just for the number of runs scored, but for the pace with which they were achieved. Such performances change the course of a match, putting immense pressure on the opposition. Batters who have achieved this feat have shown the ability to combine aggression with consistency, maintaining a high scoring rate over an extended period.
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Here’s a look at the top three fastest triple centuries in Test cricket history (no. of balls faced)
3. Matthew Hayden’s 380 vs Zimbabwe, 2003 (362 balls)
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden’s 380-run masterclass against Zimbabwe in 2003 is the third fastest triple century to be scored in Test cricket wrt no. of balls faced. The Queenslander smashed the Zimbabwean bowlers all over the iconic WACA in Perth in the first Test of the series and reached the iconic feat in just 362 balls in the first innings.
In his 437, he notched up 38 fours and 11 sixes. This knock is the only triple hundred in the southpaw’s career and his highest Test score. In the game, Hayden partnered up with Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist and stitched crucial partnerships. The hosts went on to win the game by an innings and 175 runs and the 52-year-old was awarded the much-deserved Player of the Match.
2. Harry Brook’s 317 vs Pakistan, 2024 (310 balls)
England’s Harry Brook is the new addition to this list after his 310-ball triple-century against Pakistan in Multan. The 25-year-old’s explosive innings, which consisted of 28 boundaries and three sixes, left both spectators and opponents alike in awe. Brook’s knock secured his place as the sixth English batter to score a Test triple hundred and made him the second-fastest man to do so in Test cricket.
Interestingly, Brook surpassed the record of Hayden exactly on the same date which came 21 years back. The young star reached this landmark with a boundary off Saim Ayub’s bowling. This achievement ended a five-year drought of Test triple centuries, with David Warner’s 335 against Pakistan in 2019 being the last.
1. Virender Sehwag’s 319 vs South Africa, 2008 (278 balls)
In 2008 India’s former opener Virender Sehwag became the fastest man on earth to smash a triple century. In the first Test in Chennai against South Africa, the right-hand batter put on a show for the spectators by smashing the Proteas bowlers. In just 278 balls Sehwag cruise through the 300-run barrier.
This knock was his second triple ton, making him the only Indian to have two of these. The former ended his innings on 319 runs, which included 42 fours, and five sixes. Though the match ended in a draw, Sehwag won the Player of the Match award.
Last updated – October 10, 2024