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.

Cricket today is almost entirely a batsman's game. Flat pitches, small boundaries and bigger bats have tilted the game heavily in favor of the batsmen. The bowlers have got nowhere to hide and, the advent of T20s, where the batsmen go after them from the first ball itself have made it even more difficult.

The T20 format has brought about a revolution where the bowlers are more than grateful to keep the run rate down, rather than to take wickets. India made a wonderful foray into the shortest format of the game, winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Over the years India is blessed to have got some big hitters in their line up who are capable of clearing any boundary in the world.

In this article we will take a look at those batters with most sixes for India in T20Is.

Most Sixes for India in T20Is

5. Hardik Pandya | 95

Hardik Pandya debuted in T20I cricket in 2016 and swiftly established himself as a key member of India's preferred playing eleven, serving as a seam-bowling all-rounder. His T20I career reached its peak in 2024, marked by outstanding all-round performances during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, helping India clinch the title. In terms of batting, Pandya has struck 95 sixes across 90 T20I innings.

Pandya has been included in the Men in Blue's 15-member squad for this year's Asia Cup. If Pandya manages to hit five more maximums in the Asia Cup, then he will go on to surpass KL Rahul's tally of 99 sixes in the shortest format. This will see the all-rounder become the Indian player with the fourth-most sixes in T20Is.

Also Read: Highest Wicket Taker in Asia Cup History (ODI + T20)

4. KL Rahul | 99

KL Rahul, who was once a consistent member of the T20I squad now finds himself out of favour in the T20I setup. Between 2016 and 2022, he played in 72 T20I matches and mostly batted in the top three.

He hit 99 sixes in 68 T20I innings. Following the T20 World Cup 2022, he was excluded from the shortest format due to his outdated approach to T20 cricket, as he did not improve his intent and strike rate.

3. Virat Kohli | 124

The Run Machine Virat Kohli has hit 124 sixes in 117 T20I innings for India. He is one of the most consistent players in the Indian team, with an average of 48.69. He made his T20I debut for India in 2010 and since then he has been a cornerstone of India's batting. Kohli also recorded 4,188 runs in T20I format, which included 38 fifties. 

“King Kohli” was part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in June 2024. After winning the trophy, Kohli announced his retirement from the format. 

2. Suryakumar Yadav | 146*

Yet another batsman who has made six-hitting look extremely easy is India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav. Despite making his T20I debut in March 2021 with a match against England, the elegant middle-order batter has already launched 146 maximums in just 79 innings for Team India.

Having the ability to hit sixes at all parts of the ground with relative ease makes Yadav, a.k.a SKY, draw a comparison with South Africa’s great AB De Villiers who was called Mr. 360 in cricket. His centuries have also come against big teams like England, South Africa, and New Zealand apart from Sri Lanka. He has hit the most number of T20I sixes against West Indies (35).  

1. Rohit Sharma | 205

Former Indian T20I captain Rohit Sharma hit the most sixes for India in T20Is, having hit 205 sixes in 159 games he played. He made his debut for India in the 2007 T20 World Cup against South Africa. However, he failed to cement his place in the team. The turnaround came in the 2013 Champions Trophy when MS Dhoni promoted him up the order to open the batting with Shikhar Dhawan.

Also Read: Most matches by an Indian in international cricket

The mighty Australians have been Rohit's favourite opponent in this format against whom he has hit 29 sixes in 23 matches with Bangladesh being the second, conceding 22 sixes off his willow. Fondly called the “Hitman”, Rohit Sharma hung up his boots from T20Is after delivering the 2024 T20 World Cup title for India.   

The Indian team has given the country and the world many great batsmen, whose batting is admired by the whole world. Whether these players are playing at home or abroad, they have shown their batting prowess everywhere.

There have been a few who have made their nation proud with record appearances in all three formats for the Indian cricket side. While some have been able to represent India in a record number of matches, others have done a significant job in all three formats, time and time again. 

In this article, we will be discussing about most matches by an Indian in international cricket.

Also Read: Can You Guess the Indian with Most ICC Appearances?

Most matches by an Indian in international cricket

1. Sachin Tendulkar | 664

Sachin Tendulkar is the player who has played the most matches for the Indian team in international cricket. From 1989 to 2013, the Master Blaster has played a total of 664 matches in international cricket, in which he has scored 34537 runs at an impressive average of 48.52. He is the only batsman to score 100 centuries in international cricket.

Tendulkar featured in 200 Test matches, where he scored 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78, while he had 51 centuries in the format. On the other hand, he made his ODI appearances in 463 games to score 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83, where he struck runs at a strike rate of 86.23. Also, he was also the first player in the format to score a double-century. Meanwhile, he also made a lone T20I appearance against South Africa in 2006.

2. Virat Kohli | 550

Virat Kohli is second in terms of playing the most number of international matches for India. Kohli, who began his international career in 2008, scored a total of 27599 runs at an average of 52.36 in 550 matches, in which 82 centuries have come from his bat. Kohli's highest score in international cricket has been 254* runs. 

Kohli has represented India in 123 Test matches, while he has made 302 and 125 appearances in ODI and T20Is. Kohli has dominated in all three formats, where ODI has been his forte with 14,180 runs at an average of 57.88, with his 51 centuries. On the other hand, he has 9,230 runs in Test cricket, while having 4,188 runs in the duration of his T20I career.

3. MS Dhoni | 535

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has retired after the 2019 World Cup from international cricket. Debuting in the year 2004, MS Dhoni went on to play 535 matches for India where he amassed a total of 17,092 runs while averaging 44.74 across formats. During this, 15 centuries have come from his bat. Under Dhoni's captaincy, the Indian team won the T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy and ODI World Cup titles.

The Indian wicketkeeper batter was the most reliable player in ODI cricket with 10,773 runs in 350 matches. While he made 90 Test appearances to score 4,876 runs, whereas he played 98 matches in the shortest format with 1,617 runs during his career.

4. Rahul Dravid | 504

Rahul Dravid has played cricket for the Indian team from 1996 to 2012. During this time, he featured in a total of 504 matches for the Men in Blue, while scoring a total of 24,064 runs at an average of 45.57. He scored 48 centuries in international cricket.

Dravid, also called as The Wall, was one of the most celebrated players of his time with 164 Test appearances powered by 344 ODI games, while he played a lone T20I match. In Test cricket, Dravid was a beast with 13,288 runs, whereas in one-day cricket, he was at his best with 10,889 runs. Dravid has also been the coach of Team India and under his coaching the Indian team won the T20 World Cup 2024 title.

Also Read: Most Test Centuries in Cricket History

5. Rohit Sharma | 499*

Rohit Sharma played his first international cricket match for the Indian team in 2007. He is just one game away from the record figure of 500 after featuring in 499 matches so far in his overall international career.

Now, Rohit has retired from T20I and Test cricket. He is currently playing in ODIs. In his combined career, Sharma has amassed 19,700 runs at an average of 42.18, while he has scored a total of 49 centuries in all forms of the game for India.

Additionally, Rohit led India to back-to-back two ICC trophies, the 2024 T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy 2025. He has five centuries in the T20I format for India. Moreover, with 11,168 runs in 273 ODIs, he is also one of the top-notch run-scorers.

Asia Cup 2025 will be held in UAE from 9 to 28 September. Due to T20 World Cup 2026, this time Asia Cup will also be organized in T20 format. India is being seen as the biggest contender in the Asia Cup this time.

Over the years, there have been many batters who have made a significant impact for their sides in the Asia Cup and are even featured in the list of highest run scorer in Asia Cup history. Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Virat Kohli and many more are certified legends for their sides, and they fully deserve the status after their brilliant performances over the years.

With the Asia Cup 2025 right around the corner, let's have a look at the highest run scorer in Asia Cup history.

Also Read: Records T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav can break in Asia Cup 2025

Highest Run Scorer in Asia Cup History | ODI Format

1. Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka's great Sanath Jayasuriya holds the record for most runs in the history of the Asia Cup in ODI format. He leads the table with 1220 runs in 25 matches, including 6 centuries and 3 fifties. Jayasuriya played from the 1990 edition till the 2018 edition and also has the most number of centuries (6) in Asia Cup history.

2. Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara is second on the list of most runs scored in the Asia Cup. He has been one of Sri Lanka's greatest batters and a consistent run-scorer. Sangakkara played in 5 editions from 2004 to 2014 and scored 1075 runs in 24 games, including 4 hundreds and 8 half-centuries. 

3. Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar, the God of Cricket, is the third-highest run scorer in Asia Cup history. He played in Asia Cup from 1990 to 2012 and is India's highest run-getter in the Asia Cup. Sachin has scored 971 runs in 23 matches at an average of 51.10, with 2 centuries and 7 fifties.  

4. Rohit Sharma

India's current ODI captain Rohit Sharma is the Asia Cup's most runs scorer among all the active players. He played from 2008 to 2023 and scored 939 runs in 28 matches, averaging 46.95. He helped India win the Asia Cup in 2018 and 2023 and remains one of the most successful captains in the history of the nation.

5. Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim is the only Bangladesh player in the top 10 batters with the most runs in Asia Cup history. He has played in all the Asia Cups from 2008 to 2023 and scored 830 runs in 25 matches at an impressive average of 36.08 and a strike rate of 83.08. His highest score of 144 was against Sri Lanka in 2018. 

Also Read: Asia Cup 2025 date announced; BCCI yet to confirm participation against Pakistan

Highest Run Scorer in Asia Cup History | T20 Format

1. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is at the top of the list of players with the most runs in Asia Cup T20 history. He played 10 matches (9 innings) and scored 429 runs at an impressive average of 85.8 and a strike rate of 132, with three fifties and a century to his name. Kohli has retired from T20Is now and will not feature in the upcoming Asia Cup.

2. Mohammad Rizwan

Mohammad Rizwan is the next in this list and has scored 281 runs so far in six matches in the T20 format of the Asia Cup. He has scored runs at an average of 56.2 and a strike rate of 117.57 with three fifties to his name. Rizwan is not a part of Pakistan's T20I squad and it remains to be seen if he gets picked for the Asia Cup.

3. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma, like Virat Kohli, has also retired from the shortest format of the game. However, he is third in the list of players with the most runs in the Asia Cup T20. He scored 271 runs in nine innings at an average of 30.11 and a strike rate of 141.14 with two fifties to his credit.

4. Babar Hayat

Babar Hayat of Hong Kong is one of the surprise entries in this list. He has played five matches so far and scored 235 runs in the Asia Cup T20 at an average of 47 and is one of the only two centurions in the tournament. His best score of 122 is also the joint-highest individual score in the Asia Cup.

5. Ibrahim Zadran

Ibrahim Zadran of Afghanistan has also made it to this list. He mustered 196 runs in just five matches at an average of 65.33 and a strike rate of 104.25 with a half-century to his name. Zadran has a chance to climb up the list in the upcoming edition of the Asia Cup.

Indian ODI team captain Rohit Sharma has reached the second position in the men's ICC ODI rankings. In the new rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, the Hitman jumped one place and reached the second position. With this, he left behind Pakistan's star batsman Babar Azam. 

Also Read: Most Ducks by an Indian in Tests

Rohit last played in March

Rohit, who has already retired from Tests and T20I, last played an ODI in March during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, which India won.

Rohit has scored 180 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy in five matches, boasting a highest strike rate of 100.00 among the Indian batters in the tournament. Rohit has 756 rating points in the latest rankings.

Babar failed to perform against West Indies

On the other hand, Babar could not show anything special in the recent ODI series against West Indies, which the Men in Green lost 1-2 in Trinidad. As a result, he slipped to the third position.

With Babar managing just 56 runs against West Indies in three ODIs, the International Cricket Council (ICC) took a note of his strike rate to drop him to third. He managed a strike rate of just 62.22 against West Indies.

Gill at No. 1

There has been no change in Shubman Gill's reign in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batters. He is in first place with 784 rating points. Apart from Gill and Rohit, the third Indian in the top five is Virat Kohli, who is in fourth place. He has 736 rating points.

India continues to dominate the ODI charts, with five players in the top 15, including Shreyas Iyer (8th) and KL Rahul (15th).

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer's best knocks in Tests

India to play next ODI series against Australia

It is worth mentioning that the Indian team will tour Australia in October. During this time a three-match ODI series will be played between the two.

Rohit announced after Champions Trophy 2025 that he does not intend to retire from ODI cricket, even sharing a moment with Kohli joking about it during the celebrations.

However, despite having eyes on the 2027 Cricket World Cup, Rohit and Kohli's spots are reportedly not a guarantee in the ODI setup. In fact, as per reports in recent days, the veteran duo will also have to turn up in domestic cricket as a metric for form and fitness.

On the other hand, whether Rohit will continue to be captain till the World Cup is also a topic of debate. With 25-year-old Shubman Gill impressing in England, Rohit isn't an automatic captaincy selection anymore. However, the ODI rankings continue to reflect both Rohit and Kohli's continued prowess in the 50-over format.

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.