Sachin Tendulkar remains untouchable on list for most hundreds in international cricket

Sachin Tendulkar hit 100 centuries in his celebrated career, a record for most hundreds in international cricket.

The legendary Indian cricket batter, whose career spanned from 1989 to 2013, hit his 100th international cricket century in a 2012 Asia Cup match against Bangladesh. The landmark century, however, ended in a losing cause as the Bangla Tigers secured a five-wicket win at Mirpur.

Sachin’s first century in international cricket came back in 1990 at Old Trafford. His unbeaten 119 off 189 balls helped India draw the Test against England. The ‘Little Master’ notched his maiden ODI hundred (110) against Australia in the 1994 Singer World Series.

Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 centuries in international cricket consist of 51 Test centuries and 49 ODI hundreds. He doesn’t have a hundred in T20 international cricket as he scored just 10 runs in his first and only T20I against South Africa back in 2006.

The Master Blaster is miles ahead of Australia’s Ricky Ponting when it comes to most hundreds in international cricket.

Among the most successful cricket captains and the most successful skippers in Cricket World Cup history, Ponting has hit 71 international hundreds in his career.

Ricky Ponting’s first international cricket century came in the 50-overs format. His 138-ball 123 helped Australia post 213/5 against Sri Lanka in a 1996 Tri-series. The Aussies, however, lost the game by three wickets.

Ponting hit his maiden Test century against England in the 1997 Leeds Test, with his 202-ball 127 helping Australia cross 300 after they were reduced to 50/4 early on in the tie. His efforts inspired the visitors to post a match-winning total of 501/9d.

Like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting retired from international cricket without a hundred in T20 international cricket.

Former India captain Virat Kohli is currently the active player with the most hundreds in international cricket. The 33-year-old has amassed 72 international centuries, 27 of those in Tests, 44 centuries in One Day internationals and one ton in T20I cricket.

His maiden hundred in international cricket came against Sri Lanka in 2009. With India given a target of 316 to chase in 50 overs, the swashbuckling batter hit a 114-ball 107 alongside Gautam Gambhir (150 not out) to propel the Men in Blue to a seven-wicket triumph at Kolkata.

Kohli had to wait for seven matches to notch his first Test hundred. The knock - 116 off 213 balls - came in a 298-run defeat against Australia at Adelaide.

Virat Kohli’s first T20I hundred came against Afghanistan during an Asia Cup 2022 encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. He smashed an unbeaten 122 off 61 balls to help India secure a 101-run victory in a Super 4 stage clash.

Kumar Sangakkara and Jacques Kallis complete the top five list for most hundreds in international cricket.

Sangakkara, the all-time leading run-getter for Sri Lanka across formats in a career spanning 15 years from 2000 to 2015. He scored 63 international cricket hundreds over the course of his career.

The left-hander drew curtains on his cricket career in 2015 with 38 Test hundreds and 25 ODI centuries to his name.

Among the greatest all-rounders in cricket history, Kallis slammed his first hundred in cricket history against Australia (101 in Tests) in 1997. His maiden ODI ton came in 1997/98 match against New Zealand (111). The Proteas legend ended his career with 62 international centuries, with 45 in Tests and 17 in ODIs.

Most centuries in international cricket

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / MUNIR UZ ZAMAN