Australia pacer Mithell Starc is expected to be fit for Boxing Day despite suffering a twinge in his ribs while batting in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide. However, Josh Hazlewood's fitness is unknown as he is due to arrive in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon.

Starc was in obvious discomfort while batting in the second innings of the second Ashes Test. He was attempted to slog-sweep that caused a sharp jab of pain in his ribs. But he bowled without issue or complaint in the fourth innings. Starc bowled 27 overs and took the key wickets of Joe Root and Ollie Pope to help Australia claim victory.

Read Also: The Ashes: Two Media Persons Covering Ashes Test Positive For COVID-19

Hazlewood missed the second Ashes Test due to a side strain he suffered during the first Test in Brisbane. He flew home to Sydney for a week but is rejoining the squad in Melbourne after they had three days off post the win in Adelaide. Pat Cummins is a lock to return after missing the Adelaide Test due to being a close contact of a Covid case. Meanwhile, Victoria fast bowler Scott Boland has been formally added to Australia's squad. He has been added to the squad as a cover in Adelaide.

Australia coach Justin Langer was confident Starc would be fine for Boxing Day but was unsure about Hazelwood's prospects

"There's been a lot of talk about Mitch Starc for the last few years but he just keeps turning up. He's an unbelievable athlete. He's incredibly fit."

Australia coach Justin Langer said

"It's just rib actually," Langer said. "A lot of the bowlers talk about when they come back to Test cricket, bowl more overs, they jam down on that rib area so he should be fine. He's tough. "If he's not right, then we'll look at it. But at this stage, there's no indication suggesting he won't be playing the next Test," Justin Langer added.

Also Read: ICC WTC Table after second Ashes test

"We will wait and see how Josh Hazlewood pulls up, he arrives this afternoon."Langer was delighted with Starc's performance in Adelaide as the leader of Australia's attack in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood echoing the thoughts of Australia's stand-in captain Steven Smith.

"I honestly thought Mitch Starc was almost the man of the match last game," Langer said. "There's been a lot of talk about Mitch Starc for the last few years but he just keeps turning up. He's an unbelievable athlete. He's incredibly fit.

"His resilience to just keep coming up over and over and over again is remarkable really, and his consistency of length and the way he controlled the tempo of the game last game was a great credit to him, particularly with Patty and Josh Hazlewood not playing.

If Hazlewood doesn't play and Starc is fit then Australia will be forced to leave one of Jhye Richardson or Michael Neser out

Hazlewood and Starc both bowled well and took important wickets in both innings. Meanwhile, Richardson claimed his maiden Test five-wicket haul on day 5 of the second Ashes test.

"Undecided at this stage," Langer said. "Both Michael and Jhye did a great job in the last Test match. We'll just wait and see how they pull up.

Read Also: ICC Test Rankings: December 21st

"It's a tough series. We all know that. Five Test matches pretty much in a row. So we'll just manage our bowlers as best we can and we'll put our fittest and most ready to perform out in the park in Melbourne."

Test cricket, mostly called the purest format of the game, has seen some of the greatest cricketers and batters showing their skills with patience, stroke-making ability and the perseverance to bat long and score.

Past greats and legends like Don Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis and many others dominated test cricket during their time. But, with modern cricket kicking in, this time we will look at the list of active players with the most hundreds in test cricket.

Players with most Test centuries in cricket history

Before we talk about the current active cricketers, we should and must take a look at all the batters who dominate the overall list. As we all know, Sachin Tendulkar is the batter with most hundreds in test cricket. In fact, his record of 100 international tons might not be broken ever in cricket history. 

Before Sachin broke into the scene, there was Sir Don Bradman, who had retired as the batter with the most test centuries (29), and later the little master Sunil Gavaskar broke his record and finished his career with 34 test centuries. But, do they come in the list of players with the most test centuries? Let's take a look at that.

So, sadly, one of the greatest cricketers in cricket history, Sir Don Bradman, does not even come in the top 10 batters with the most test tons in cricket history. Interestingly, only Joe Root is the active cricketer on that list. Hence, you already know who the active cricketer with the most test tons is: Joe Root.

Most Test Centuries by active cricketers

#10. Ben Stokes | 13

Regarded as one of the best test cricketers of the 2010s and 2020s, Ben Stokes is perhaps the greatest match-winner of modern cricket. The southpaw batter is as lethal with the bat in the lower middle order and can change his gear with regard to the needs of the game.

Not only that, his skill to bat with the tail and chase nearly impossible totals in the last inning is quite remarkable. 

Stokes has 13 test centuries against his name in 113 test matches for the Three Lions. His 258  in just 198 balls against South Africa in Cape Town saw him make the fastest test double century by any English cricketer. That is also the highest test score by a batter batting at number six.

And, yes, who can forget his immortal innings of 135 at Edgbaston in the 2019 Ashes Test, where he single-handedly achieved England's highest successful run chase in Tests, with Jack Leach at the other end.

#9 Tom Latham | 13

Tom Latham, the Kiwi opener, is surely one of the best top-order batters of this generation. Although he has always been in the shadow of Kane Williamson, Latham has contributed well to his country since his test debut in 2014. In the last ten years, Latham has played 81 test matches and scored 5516 test runs so far, including 13 test centuries, which places him at number nine in this list.

Latham's unbeaten 264 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 2018 is the highest score by any opener while carrying his bat. Not only that, he is only the second Kiwi cricketer to carry his bat in test cricket.

Latham is currently the vice-captain of the test team and one of the reasons for New Zealand's success in recent years.

#8. Mominul Haque | 13

He might be the most surprising name on this list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.

Mominul Haque, the stylish and gritty test batter from Bangladesh, is at No. 8 on this list with 13 test tons. The top-order batter started his test career with a record-breaking 181 against Sri Lanka, which is the highest debut score by any Bangladeshi batter.

Since then, he has been one of the pillars of the Bangladeshi batting lineup in tests. From 2013 to 2017, Haque averaged over 50 with the bat, which dropped to below 40 post-2022. 

 He is one of only six batters, including the likes of Don Bradman, Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis, to score seven test tons at a single venue; Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.

#7 Usman Khawaja | 16

Another top-order batter in the list of active players with most test hundreds, who has made tons of runs in the last few years for Australia. Usman, who was born in Pakistan and later moved to Australia as a young kid, made his test debut in 2011, replacing the great Ricky Ponting at number.

At that time, he became the first Muslim cricketer to play for Australia. Despite a decent debut match, Khawaja was never given a long run and kept losing his spot in the team.

In 2015-16, he made another solid return to the test squad, but his failure in away tests always kept him in and out of the team. But, after his comeback with two tons in a single test match in 2022 against England in Sydney, Khwaja has emerged as one of the best batters for Australia. His move at the top of the order has also helped him regain his lost confidence at the international level.

Post a stunning 2023, where he scored 1210 runs in 13 test matches at 52.60, Khawaja won the 2023 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award.

In 80 test matches so far, Khawaja has scored 5930 test runs, including 16 test tons and 27 fifty-plus scores. He is also the sixth-highest run-scorer (3251) in the World Test Championship's history, despite playing only 42 matches. 

#6 Dimuth Karunaratne | 16

Dimuth Karunaratne has been one of the greatest modern-day batters for Sri Lanka in recent years. The Sri Lankan batter is sixth in our list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.

The opening batter comes from the same St Joseph's College, which produced players like Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera. Dimuth debuted for Sri Lanka in tests in 2012 and gradually cemented his place in the team despite a duck in his debut inning. 

In 2014, he scored his debut hundred against New Zealand in Christchurch and has scored 15 more in his test career since then. Three years later, he missed his first double ton by four runs when he played an outstanding knock of 196 against Pakistan in Dubai. In 2021, he scored hundreds in three back-to-back test matches, and one of them was a 244 against Bangladesh, his best in test cricket. 

Dimuth is the highest run-getter for Sri Lanka in the World Test Championship with 2642 runs in 35 test matches so far. He has scored 6 tons in WTC history as well.

#5 Dinesh Chandimal | 16

Another Sri Lankan in the list of active batters with the most test centuries prove why, despite not being considered a force, they have done well in recent times. Dinesh Chandimal, one of the most underrated cricketers going around, has climbed up in the list with a stunning hundred (116) against New Zealand at Galle. 

Chandimal, just like Angelo Mathews, emerged on the scene as one of the best talents in the country and became a mainstay in the middle order after the retirement of the legendary Sangakkara-Jayawardene pair. At 23, he was chosen as the T20I captain and as Mathews' deputy in tests.

Read Also | Most Runs in WTC 2023-25 

In 2013, Dinesh scored back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh and then played an unbeaten 162 against India in 2015 to nearly drag Sri Lanka to a win from an impossible position. His 164 against India in Delhi in 2017 was one of his remarkable innings after leading Sri Lanka to a 2-0 victory against Pakistan, away from home.

However, after that, he could not keep his form, and it wasn't until 2022 that he came back to his best with an unbeaten 206 against Australia at Galle to deny the mighty Aussies a test series win.

Till now, Chandimal has scored 16 test centuries in 88 test matches and looks like a strong candidate to be the first one to reach 20 test centuries among the active Sri Lankan cricketers. 

#4. Cheteshwar Pujara | 19

Although he has not been a part of the Indian test team since 2023, Cheteshwar Pujara is still an active test cricketer. The modern wall of Indian cricket, who was among one of the rarest batters in this counterattacking generation to tire the bowlers down and play a whole day of test cricket, without giving it a second thought.

Pujara's temperament was one of the main reasons why he was called up for the national team in 2010. After a very impressive 72 against Australia on debut, it was only a matter of time before Pujara became a mainstay of the Indian team.

Soon, he became the joint-fastest Indian to 1000 Test runs, and quickly he became the new Wall of Indian cricket. Till now, in 103 test matches, Pujara has scored 7195, including 19 centuries. 

Recent drop in form has kept in out of the Indian team, but his love for the game has kept him going at the domestic level. Pujara is one of the 13 players in test cricket history to bat in each day of a five-day test match. 

Although Pujara has not played a test match for a long time, since he has not retired, he is fourth on our list of active players with most hundreds in test cricket.

Read Also: Most runs vs England in England for India in tests

#3 Kane Williamson | 33

Kane Williamson has been the best Kiwi cricketer of the last two decades, and even the great Martin Crowe believed that he would finish as the greatest batter from New Zealand. 

Debuted in 2010, Kane scored a ton against India in Ahmedabad and since then, has never had to look back. 24 years and 151 days old, Kane then became the youngest New Zealand cricketer to score 3000 test runs. In 2015, Kane hit his first double ton against Sri Lanka in Wellington and since then has scored five more test double tons.

Read Also | Most international runs in Cricket history

As a leader, Kane in 2018 became the fourth Kiwi captain to win a test series in England, followed by a first-ever series triumph against Pakistan, away from home.

Williamson, with 9276 test runs, is the player with the most test runs for New Zealand. He also holds the record for most test centuries scored by a Kiwi batter (33). He is also the quickest batter in test history (by innings) to reach 33 test tons.

Moreover, Williamson was also the first-ever Kiwi captain to lead them to an ICC trophy success when he led them to the WTC title in 2021 against India. The former Kiwi captain is also New Zealand's highest run-getter in WTC history with 2822 runs at 61.34 average and 11 test tons. 

#2 Steve Smith | 36

After starting as a leg spinner in 2010, Steve Smith's journey to become one of the greatest test batters for Australia is quite remarkable. Despite getting banned for 12 months due to the ball-tampering scandal in 2018, Smith made a great comeback to test cricket and has scored 9 test centuries since 2019.

Smith scored his first century in 2013 against England at the Oval and scored three more in his next six matches. Before he was made the captain in 2015, he was already the No.1 ranked test batter in the world, scoring seven centuries in 17 test matches in 2014-15, including centuries in four consecutive test matches. 

In 2017, he scored six test tons, including a double ton in just 11 test matches to win his second ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award second time, after winning it in 2015.

Though in the past few years, bowlers have found some ways to stop him from scoring runs with his unorthodox style, he scored five centuries in 13 innings from July 2022 to June 2023.

In 2024, Smith scored two consecutive test centuries in the Australia vs India Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. With 36 test tons in just 118 tests, he is now the player with the second most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers.

#1 Joe Root | 39

2021 Test Cricketer of the Year, nominated again in 2023 for the same award, most runs and tons in World Test Championship history, most test runs by any English batter, most test tons by any English batter; these are the few achievements Joe Root made in the last seven years. 

The youngest of the "fav four", Root debuted in 2012 on England's tour to India and impressed with a 73 from 229 balls, and everyone saw his ability to stay at the crease and play long.

Five tests later, he scored his first test hundred in England against New Zealand in 2013. Two tests later, he followed that up with a 180 against Australia at Lord's.

Read Also | Joe Root vs Sachin Tendulkar: Who is ahead after 145 Test matches? Full analysis 

Before he was made the captain in 2017, he had already played 53 test matches in five years with a batting average of over 50. 190 in the first inning as test captain, and all knew he would go on to break all the records for England. Root finished 2017 with 1481 for England despite scoring only two tons.

The story continued the same way for him in the following year, as despite scoring lots of fifty-plus scores, Root could score only two test tons as England struggled in tests as a team.

But, everything changed for him in 2021 as he started the year with one century and one double century in the first three tests. Another back-to-back hundred against India at home would mean he would go on to win the 2021 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award.

Root that year nearly broke the record of the most test runs scored in a calendar year with 1708 test runs, missing the record by 80 runs.

Since the start of 2022, Root has scored 16 test tons, scoring 4012 test runs at an average of 54.95. In WTC, he is the highest run scorer with 6080 runs at an average of 52.86 and 21 centuries.

With 39 test tons, Joe Root is now the player with most hundreds in test cricket among active cricketers.

The battle of supremacy in Test centuries has come a long way in cricket history. Some early established test records, defined by batting greatness, are nearly impossible to imagine being surpassed. The record for most test centuries in cricket history is one of them.

This prestigious list consists of legendary batters around the globe who have shaped the golden era of test cricket with their run-scoring consistency and centuries.

Discover the complete list of players with the most test centuries in cricket history and embrace their legacies.

Most Test Centuries in Cricket History

1. Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 51 centuries

The 'Little Master' Sachin Tendulkar stands right at the top with 51 test centuries in his career, spanning from 1989 to 2013. His career was a saga of brilliance against every bowling attack in every condition.

From being the youngest Indian to score a Test century at the age of 17 years and 109 days in 1990, to ending up having the most test centuries in cricket history, Tendulkar has achieved it all!

He has consistently scored tons, becoming the first and only player to ever cross the fifty-mark in test centuries. These numbers let us believe that maybe some records can never be broken.

Read Also: Youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century

2. Jacques Kallis (SA) | 45 centuries

The legendary all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, graced the longest format from 1995 to 2013, amassing 45 test centuries. He is the only South African to feature at the top of this list and to have scored more than 30 test centuries.

Apart from personal milestones, his hundreds were often foundational blocks for South Africa's innings in the game. He provided the key balance the team needed, contributing to secure a win or draw.

3. Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 41 centuries

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, led Australia through a golden era, scoring 41 centuries between 1995 to 2012. Known for his aggressive yet classy style, he thrived especially in big matches, putting the opposition under pressure.

One of the memorable moments in his century collection is the twin centuries during his 100th test match against South Africa in Sydney. This came in 2006, where Ponting scored back-to-back 120 and 142* in two innings.

He is the 3rd batter to go 40+ in the list of most test centuries in cricket history.

Read Also: Most Test Runs in Cricket History (Men's)

4. Joe Root (ENG) | 39 centuries

England's highest scorer in tests, Joe Root, has scored 39 test centuries so far in his career. He has scored the most hundreds for his nation and is also the batter with the most test tons in WTC history.

He reached his 39th test century against India at the Oval, during the 5th test of their Anderson-Tendulkar series. Root is currently the World's No. 1 in the ICC Test batter rankings, and the only player in the top 5 of this list who has not yet retired.

Root's fiery form is a clear indication of him soaring higher in all charts of test cricket records, setting the standards for generations to come.

Read Also: Joe Root vs Sachin Tendulkar – Test Stats Compared: Can Root break Sachin's record

5. Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 38 centuries

The Sri Lankan batting maestro, Kumar Sangakkara, is a perfect example of elegance and power blended together. His ability to score big placed him in the top 5 of most test centuries in cricket history.

Sangakkara scored 38 test centuries from 2000 to 2015. One of his defining moments in his career was his 287 runs against South Africa in 2006. This knock was a part of the record-breaking partnership of 624 runs with his teammate, Mahela Jayawardene.

Most Test Centuries in Cricket History (TOP 20)

3️⃣8️⃣

Joe Root scores his 38th test ton, equalling Kumar Sangakkara's record. 💯

He now has the 4th most centuries in test cricket history.

His 12 test tons against India is also a record! #JoeRoot #ENGvsIND #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/zqdcfUunfL

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) July 25, 2025

Here's the tabular breakdown of the Top 20 players having the most test centuries in cricket history, featuring 6 players from Australia, 4 from India, and several other cricketing nations.

Note: Article was first written by Snighda Halder on 26th July, 2025 and later got updated by the editorial team.

The World Test Championship was started in 2019 to make Test cricket interesting. The Championship has changed the way Test Cricket is being played. Teams like England and India, along with Australia, have shown their aggressive brand of cricket. 

South Africa are the current winner of the ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand and Australia have won the World Test Championships in the first two editions, while India played the final on both occasions.

Joe Root, the former test captain of England, has scored the most test centuries (21) in the World Test Championship.

Here are the players with the most Test centuries in the World Test Championship.

1. Joe Root | 21

England's Joe Root has the most Test centuries in the World Test Championship. So far, he has scored 21 centuries in 126 innings of 69 matches. Root is also the batsman who has scored the most runs in this tournament, with 6080 runs at an average of 52.86.

Till now, Root is the only batter to score more than 6000 runs in WTC history.

His best knock came against India in 2021 when he scored 228 in Chennai to help his side win the game. 

Read Also: Fav four in cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith overall stats

2. Steven Smith | 13

Australia's Steve Smith has now scored the most test centuries in the World Test Championship. The Aussie top-order batter has been one of the best test batters of this generation and has scored runs all around the world.

Smith is known for his unorthodox and yet effective batting style, which keeps on annoying the opponent's bowling lineups.

Till now in WTC, Steve Smith has scored 4225 runs at an outstanding average of 50.29, including 13 test centuries.

Read Also | Most Test Runs in Cricket History (Men's)

3. Marnus Labuschagne | 11

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne has scored 11 centuries in his Test career, and all have been scored in the World Test Championship. In 53 matches, he has scored 4225 runs at an average of 48.01 during the Test Championship.

Marnus used to have his test average over 50. However, a recent dip in form, which also led to him being dropped from the test side as well, brought his batting average down. 

Still, he is the batter with the second-most test centuries and third-most runs in WTC history so far. 

4. Kane Williamson | 11

Kane Williamson has batted amazingly in the World Test Championship. He has played only 28 matches so far in this tournament, but has managed to score 11 centuries in his 50 innings. 

Williamson has the best average (61.34) among the batsmen who have scored at least 2000 runs in the World Test Championship. During the Test match versus South Africa, the former Kiwi skipper scored two tons in the same game. 

Williamson, with 33 test centuries, is the batter with the third most test centuries among active batters. 

5. Rohit Sharma | 9

Former Indian test captain Rohit Sharma is the only Indian batter included in the 'most Test centuries in the World Test Championship' list.

Before retiring from the format, Rohit played 40 matches during the Test Championship since 2019. In his 69 innings, he has scored 9 centuries and 8 half-centuries with his bat.

With 2716 runs in the World Test Championship in just 40 Tests, Rohit is the highest scorer for India in WTC history so far, with an average is 41.15. Rohit Sharma's all of 9 test tons in WTC came in winning cause for India. 

Also Read: Most Test Hundreds for India since 2021

6. Harry Brook | 9

Currently, the ICC No.1 Men's test batter, Harry Brook, comes at number six on our list of players with the most test centuries in the World Test Championship. 

The English youngster has just played 26 test matches during the WTC cycles and has scored 9 centuries so far. 

Apart from Joe Root, he has been the shining armour of the English batting lineup in the last two seasons. Brook, till now, has scored 2424 test runs in WTC at an average of 55.09, with an outstanding strike rate of 84.54, the highest in WTC history. 

Read Also | Top 10 Underrated Cricketers Who Can Surprise You in 2025

7. Shubman Gill | 9

Before starting his tenure as the captain of the Indian men's test cricket team, Shubman Gill was nowhere on this list of batters with the most test hundreds in WTC history. 

Read Also | Every record Shubman Gill broke during the ENG vs IND, 2nd test at Edgbaston

But as he wore the blazer of the Indian team, he was a different beast. In the first two tests as captain, he hit three centuries, which also had a highest score of 269, the highest by any Indian test captain. 

Till now, in 37 tests in WTC, Gill has scored 2647 runs at an average of 41.35, including 9 test tons. 

8. Babar Azam | 8

The former Pakistan skipper has scored 8 centuries during the World Test Championship cycle. Babar Azam is the sixth in the list of batters with the most test centuries in WTC history.

In 36 matches, he has also scored 2998 runs at an average of 48.35 during the Test Championship.

The 29-year-old isn’t in the greatest of form currently, but on his day, Babar Azam is a delight to watch.

One of his most memorable knocks came against Australia in Karachi in 2022. Babar scored 196 while chasing a huge total in the 4th inning of the game.

9. Dhananjaya de Silva | 8

Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya De Silva might be one of the surprising names on this list.

The Sri Lanka captain has been one of the best batters for his country despite lacking support from the other end, most of the time.

So far, he has scored 8 centuries in 62 innings of 35 matches. Dhananjaya also scored 2509 runs, with an average of 44.80, during the Test Championship. Dhananjaya is also one of the active players with the most test centuries currently. 

Also Read: Most Wickets in Test Cricket

10. Travis Head | 8

Travis Head, the swashbuckling left-handed batter, has also scored 8 test tons during the World Test Championship cycle. The Aussie batter is one of the most dangerous middle-order batters in the world at the moment in test cricket. 

Till now, in 51 matches in WTC, Head has scored 3264 runs at an average of 40.80, with a strike-rate of 72.85. Head also scored 15 fifties during the World Test Championship. 

Head's 7 out of 8 test tons during the WTC came in a winning cause for Australia.

Read Also | Every heated moment of IPL 2025 that you missed

11. Usman Khawaja | 8

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has hit 8 centuries during the World Test Championship cycle.

In 42 matches, he has scored 3251 runs at an average of 45.78. The Southpaw batter is a treat to watch when he is in song and has restored his career with some outstanding scores for the current WTC champions.

He was also the second-highest-scoring batsman in the 2021–2023 WTC cycle with 1,621 runs, the highest by an Australian batsman.

The Nation England has produced some extraordinary Batsmen in Cricket. They have impressed Cricket fans from all over the world with their achievements and glory. The test is considered the Best Format in Cricket. England has & had some players who are the best among many in the world of Test Cricket. Sir Jack Hobbs is considered the Best Test Batsman for England in Tests. He has scored 5410 runs in just 102 innings with 15 centuries and 28 half-centuries.

In recent times of greats, Joe Root has proven himself one of the greatest if not the greatest for England in Test Format as he has every right due to his achievements. Now, Let's give a look at the list of the Top 5 Batsmen with the most test centuries for England.

Read Also: Most International Hundreds among Active Players

Top 5 Batsmen with the Most Test Centuries for England:

1. Joe Root | 38 Centuries

England batter Joe Root has written his name in the history books for England in Test Format by bringing up his 38th Test hundred on the third day of the fourth Test between England and India in Manchester. With this century, Root also climbed to second on the all time list of Test run-scorers. Moreover, he also overtook Graham Gooch as the highest run-scorer at Lord's in international cricket. 

Root made his debut in 2012 against team India and since then he has played 157* test matches. He has scored 13,409 runs with an average of 51.17.

2. Alastair Cook | 33 Centuries

Alastair Cook was one of the greats in Test Cricket of his generation. He made his debut against India in 2006 for the national team in Test Cricket. Cook played 161 Test matches in which he batted 291 innings. He scored 12,472 runs with an average of 45.35. His highest score was 294 and he made 33 centuries and 57 half-centuries for his team. Cook played his last Test Match against India in 2018.

3. Kevin Pietersen | 23 Centuries

Kevin Pietersen has proved himself across every format for England. He made his Test debut in 2005 against the Australian side at Lords. Pietersen played 104 test matches, in which he scored 8181 runs with an average of 47.29. He played his last test match against Australia in 2014. Kevin Pietersen is third on the list with 23 Centuries.

4. Wally Hammond | 22 Centuries

The judgment of cricket history is that the greatest batsmen the game has known are - WG Grace, Jack Hobbs, Walter Hammond, and Don Bradman. Others may come close indeed to those four but do not quite take place with them. Hammond made his test debut against South Africa in 1927. He played 85 test matches and scored 7249 runs with an average of 58.45. He is 4th on the list with 22 test centuries. The Great Walter Hammond played his last Test match against New Zealand in 1947.

5. Colin Cowdrey | 22 Centuries

Colin Cowdrey mostly known as Michael Cowdrey played Cricket for 21 years, One of the most durable batsmen in the history of Test Cricket. Cowdrey made his test debut in 1954 against the Aussies and played 114 matches, scoring 7624 runs with an average of 44.06. He is 5th on the list with the same no as Wally Hammond, 22 centuries. Michael Cowdrey played his last test match in 1975 against the Australian side.

Top 10 Players with the Most Centuries in Test Cricket for England:

In the realm of cricket, leadership is not only about guiding the team but also about leading by example. Captaining a team in Test matches adds an extra layer of responsibility, requiring the ability to inspire and strategize while maintaining individual performance. Captains who can inspire their team through their own performances hold a special place in the annals of cricket history. One of the most significant measures of a captain's impact is their ability to take wickets in Test matches, the pinnacle of the sport.

Let's explore the elite group of bowlers who have not only captained their sides but also have most Test wickets as captain.

Also Read: Most 5 wicket hauls in Test Cricket

Most Test wickets as captain

1. Imran Khan | 187 Wickets

Imran Khan, a charismatic leader and an exceptional all-rounder has the most Test wickets as captain. He captained Pakistan from the early 1980s to the early 1990s. Imran was a renowned sportsman who not only led Pakistan to a World Cup victory but also set an example of ideals for all youngsters to aspire to. He was one of the finest captains of his time.

Imran Khan has got 187 wickets in 48 Test matches in his 21 years of Test career (1971-1992) as captain. He has a total of 362 Test wickets on his name for Pakistan. Imran Khan has the second-best Test figure in this list of best Test captains. 

2. Pat Cummins | 145 Wickets

Pat Cummins joined the elite list of most Test wickets as captain. He has also surpassed Richie Benaud to become the second captain to pick most Test wickets. This also makes him the leading wicket-taker among Australian captains.

Cummins has now taken 145 wickets so far in 37 Test matches as captain at an impressive average of 22.66 with nine five-wicket hauls. The World Cup-winning captain also became the first-ever cricketer to take 100 Test wickets as a captain in the ICC World Test Championship history. Cummins has taken 309 Test wickets at an average of 22.10 so far and is Australia's highest-ranked bowler in the ICC Test bowling standings.

3. Richie Benaud | 138 Wickets

Richie Benaud, who is best remembered as one of Australia's most-imaginative captains, occupies the 2nd spot in terms of taking the most Test wickets as captain, with 138 Test wickets in 28 games. He served as captain of the Australian national team from 1958 to 1963, during which time Australia never lost a Test (international) series.

Benaud first appeared in Test matches in 1951. He developed a reputation as a fine leg-spin bowler as well as an excellent batsman and fielder. He also became known for his intelligent and energetic play.

4. Garfield Sobers | 117 Wickets

Garfield Sobers aka Sir Garry Sobers is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen after Sir Don Bradman and the greatest All Rounder of all time. Garry took 117 wickets of his 39 Test matches as captain. They are the 3rd most behind Imran Khan's 187 and Richie Benaud's 138. 

Garry Sobers holds the record for bowling most number of balls as a captain in Tests. He bowled 10860 balls as a captain. Only other captain to bowl 10000 or more balls is Richie Benaud who bowled 10720 balls.

Also Read: Most sixes in a Test innings

5. Daniel Vettori | 116 Wickets

Former New Zealand left-arm spinner, Daniel Vettori has the fourth most Test wickets as captain. Vettori made his first appearance in Test cricket in 1997 against England. As captain, Vettori took 116 Test wickets at an average of 33.38, and hit four centuries and nine fifties to aggregate 1917 runs.

Under the left-arm spinner, New Zealand have won just six Tests, with four of them coming against Bangladesh, and one each against England and Pakistan, apart from 18 defeats and 13 draws. In the 13 series that Vettori led, New Zealand lost on nine occasions.

6. Kapil Dev | 111 Wickets

Kapil Dev occupies the 5th spot in terms of taking the most Test wickets as captain. He was the first Indian Captain who won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1983. Kapil is one of the legendary cricketers India have ever produced. Before Kapil Dev's era, cricket was a low-profile game in India with a limited audience. He brought a revolution in Indian cricket through his captaincy.

Kapil Dev led the Indian Test team in 34 matches where he picked 111 Test wickets. He also has overall 434 Test wickets to his name in just 131 Test Matches for India. Every Indian cricket fan was impressed with the one-man show skill that Kapil presented through his bowling, batting, and captaincy. His services as one of the best all-rounders in cricket would be remembered forever.

7. Wasim Akram | 107 Wickets

We all know how good of a player Wasim Akram was during his cricketing days. One of the greatest bowlers of his generation and some say he was the greatest left-arm fast bowler in the history of cricket. The Sultan of swing, the king of reverse swing, and the hero of the 1992 world cup final, Wasim Akram was a trademark fast bowler throughout his career.

Wasim Akram took over the Test captaincy from Javed Miandad in 1993. He captained Pakistan in 25 Tests and took 107 wickets at an average of 23.36. Wasim was also known as a very aggressive and confrontational captain on the field.

8. Bishan Singh Bedi | 106 Wickets

Known for his outspokenness, late cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi occupies the 7th spot in terms of taking the most Test wickets as captain. Bedi was widely known as one of the greatest spinners produced by India who played international cricket.

Bedi, famous for his outstanding accuracy and spin bowling, picked up 266 wickets in Test cricket at an average of 28.71 with 14 five-wicket hauls. The left-arm spinner also claimed seven wickets in the 50-over format. Out of the 266 Test wickets, Bedi bagged 106 of those as captain, having led the Indian team in 22 Tests.

Also Read: Fastest to 500 Test Wickets

9. Shaun Pollock | 103 Wickets

South Africa has produced some magnificent talents in world cricket's history. Among those superb talents, there was another such diamond that waited for its turn to shine, Shaun Pollock. Pollock is the first South African to take 400 wickets. Even the greatest of all time Sachin Tendulkar went cautious while facing him.

Pollock was the captain when South Africa suffered an ignominious exit from the 2003 World Cup, which was held in their country. Pollock played 82 Tests as a player, taking 318 wickets at an average of 23.68, with 12 five-wicket hauls and a best of 7/87. While Pollock played 26 Tests as captain, taking 103 wickets at an average of 21.36, with 4 five-wicket hauls and a best of 6/30.

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