Most Centuries in International Cricket
Scoring a century in international cricket is one of the finest man or woman achievements for any batter. It calls for an aggregate of technique, concentration, consistency, fitness, and the capacity to perform against first-rate bowlers on the global. Across Test, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket, the best-picked group of batters have been capable of scoring dozens of hundreds in the course of their careers.
When it comes to the most centuries in international cricket, India legend Sachin Tendulkar stays at the top. Tendulkar finished his international career with an amazing 100 centuries, together with 51 Test hundreds and 49 ODI hundreds. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirms that he remains the simplest participant to have reached a hundred global centuries.
The closest participant to Tendulkar is Virat Kohli, who has 85 global centuries: 30 in Tests, 54 in ODIs and 1 in T20Is.
What Is an International Century?
In cricket, a century method that a batter scores 100 or more runs in a single innings.
A global century may be scored in:
- Test cricket
- One Day International cricket
- Twenty20 International cricket
A batter’s overall worldwide centuries are calculated by means of including centuries from all three formats.
For instance, Sachin Tendulkar’s career overall is:
51 Test centuries + 49 ODI centuries + 0 T20I centuries = 100 international centuries.
It is vital no longer to confuse worldwide centuries with home or franchise centuries. A century in the IPL, for instance, does not count toward a player’s global-century general.
Most Centuries in International Cricket – Top Players
The following table shows some of the main men’s global century-makers based totally on available career information through 2026.
| Rank | Player | Country | Test 100s | ODI 100s | T20I 100s | Total International 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 51 | 49 | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | India | 30 | 54 | 1 | 85 |
| 3 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 41 | 30 | 0 | 71 |
| 4 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 38 | 25 | 0 | 63 |
| 5 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 45 | 17 | 0 | 62 |
| 6 | Joe Root | England | 41 | 20 | 0 | 61 |
| 7 | Hashim Amla | South Africa | 28 | 27 | 0 | 55 |
| 8 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 34 | 19 | 1 | 54 |
| 9 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 34 | 19 | 0 | 53 |
| 10 | Rohit Sharma | India | 12 | 33 | 5 | 50 |
The ancient totals for Tendulkar, Kohli, Ponting, Sangakkara, Kallis and other leading players are contemplated in compiled global-century facts.
Note: International data can exchange for active players, specifically in restricted-overs cricket. The figures above are intended as a 2026 reference and need to be checked against the latest scorecards for subsequently played matches.
1. Sachin Tendulkar – a hundred International Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the maximum centuries in international cricket with one hundred.
His century report is:
- Test centuries: 51
- ODI centuries: 49
- T20I centuries: 0
- Total: 100
Tendulkar completed the historical milestone on 16 March 2012 against Bangladesh in an Asia Cup ODI in Mirpur. He scored 114 in that innings to end up the first player in cricket history to reach 100 global centuries.
Tendulkar’s first worldwide century came in 1990 in opposition to England at Old Trafford, Manchester. He was just 17 years vintage on the time.
The ICC data shows that Tendulkar finished with 51 Test centuries and 49 ODI centuries, alongside 34,357 international runs.
Why Tendulkar’s document is special
The biggest undertaking in scoring 100 international centuries is longevity. Tendulkar played international cricket from 1989 to 2013, giving him a career spanning more than two decades.
He scored many centuries in specific situations, in opposition to one of a kind generations of bowlers and throughout several eras of cricket.
2. Virat Kohli – 85 International Centuries
Virat Kohli is currently the closest participant to Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
His international-century breakdown is:
- Test centuries: 30
- ODI centuries: 54
- T20I centuries: 1
- Total: 84
Kohli’s 85 international centuries place him 2nd in the all-time list.
One of the most exquisite elements of Kohli’s file is his ODI overall performance. His 54 ODI centuries have taken him beyond Tendulkar’s preceding ODI record of 49. This makes Kohli the leading run-scorer in men’s ODI cricket.
Kohli also became one of the few players to attain global centuries in all three formats.
His T20I century came against Afghanistan within the 2022 Asia Cup.
Can Kohli reach 100?
Kohli is 15 centuries behind Tendulkar’s one hundred. Whether he can near that mark is tough to expect because his global career has ended up more restrained than throughout his prime years.
Nevertheless, achieving 85 global centuries is already an amazing fulfillment.
3. Ricky Ponting – 71 International Centuries
Australian legend Ricky Ponting occupies third place with 71 international centuries.
His record includes:
- 41 Test centuries
- 30 ODI centuries
- 71 total international centuries
Ponting was one of Australia’s most successful batters and captains. His career protected the golden era of Australian cricket in the late 1990s and 2000s.
He performed an crucial role in Australia’s World Cup successes and was specifically effective in each Test and ODI cricket.
Ponting’s 71 international matches remained second on the all-time list until Kohli moved beyond him in 2022.
4. Kumar Sangakkara – 63 International Centuries
Sri Lankan notable Kumar Sangakkara is fourth with 63 global centuries.
His professional record includes:
- 38 Test centuries
- 25 ODI centuries
- 63 worldwide centuries
Sangakkara became one of the most technically sound left-handed batters of his era. He combined stylish stroke play with superb consistency.
His Test report changed into specially magnificent, with 38 centuries.
He additionally performed a primary role in Sri Lanka’s international cricket success and was a key determinant in numerous ICC tournaments.
5. Jacques Kallis – 62 International Centuries
South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis scored 62 worldwide centuries.
His record includes:
- 45 Test centuries
- 17 ODI centuries
- 62 worldwide centuries
Kallis’ success becomes even more incredible because he became not only a batter. He also turned into also an splendid, speedy medium-pace bowler and one of the best all-rounders in cricket history.
His 45 Test centuries exhibit his top-notch consistency in the longest format.
6. Joe Root – 61 International Centuries
England’s Joe Root has established himself as one of the finest Test batters of his generation.
His worldwide century tally has reached 61, inclusive of:
- 41 Test centuries
- 20 ODI centuries
- 0 T20I centuries
Root equalled Ricky Ponting’s mark of 41 Test centuries throughout the 2025–26 Ashes duration, even as his international tally reached 60 at that point.
Root’s career is particularly first-rate due to the fact maximum of his centuries are available in Test cricket.
Unlike many modern stars, he has not constructed his international overall thru T20I centuries. His popularity rests heavily on his consistency in Test cricket.
7. Hashim Amla – 55 International Centuries
South African batter Hashim Amla completed his career with 55 global centuries.
His file consists of:
- 28 Test centuries
- 27 ODI centuries
- 55 global centuries
Amla was recognized for his stylish batting, robust awareness, and ability to score heavily as soon as set up at the crease.
He became a success in ODI cricket particularly and became one of South Africa’s most dependable top-order batters.
8. Mahela Jayawardene – 54 International Centuries
Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene scored 54 worldwide centuries.
His tally includes:
- 34 Test centuries
- 19 ODI centuries
- 1 T20I century
- 54 overall global centuries
Jayawardene became a technically talented batter and an important member of Sri Lanka’s golden generation.
He also had a memorable leadership career and played big roles in essential ICC tournaments.
9. Brian Lara – 53 International Centuries
West Indies icon Brian Lara is another mythical name in the listing.
Lara finished with:
- 34 Test centuries
- 19 ODI centuries
- 53 global centuries
Lara became famous not only for hundreds of years but also for great person rankings.
His Test file includes the well-known 400 not out, the highest individual score in Test cricket at the time and still one of the most iconic batting performances in the sport.
He became one of the most obviously gifted left-handed batters in cricket history.
10. Rohit Sharma – 50 International Centuries
India’s Rohit Sharma has also joined the exclusive 50-century membership.
His worldwide century tally is:
- 12 Test centuries
- 33 ODI centuries
- 5 T20I centuries
- 50 total international centuries
Rohit is in particular renowned for his ODI batting.
His five T20I centuries also demonstrate his potential to convert explosive starts into three-figure ratings within the shortest global format.
He is one of the maximum a hit cutting-edge white-ball openers.
Most Test Centuries in International Cricket
Test cricket provides the best possibility for batters to construct long innings. As a result, the all-time century leaders have sturdy Test records.
| Rank | Player | Test Centuries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sachin Tendulkar | 51 |
| 2 | Jacques Kallis | 45 |
| 3 | Ricky Ponting | 41 |
| 4 | Joe Root | 41 |
| 5 | Kumar Sangakkara | 38 |
| 6 | Steve Smith | 37 |
| 7 | Rahul Dravid | 36 |
| 8 | Mahela Jayawardene | 34 |
| 9 | Brian Lara | 34 |
| 10 | Kane Williamson | 33 |
Tendulkar’s fifty-one Test centuries remain one of the defining facts of his profession. The ICC identifies him as the record-holder for Test centuries in addition to ODI centuries.
Most ODI Centuries in International Cricket
ODI cricket has produced a number of the best century-makers in history.
| Rank | Player | ODI Centuries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 54 |
| 2 | Sachin Tendulkar | 49 |
| 3 | Rohit Sharma | 33 |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting | 30 |
| 5 | Hashim Amla | 27 |
| 6 | Kumar Sangakkara | 25 |
| 7 | AB de Villiers | 25 |
| 8 | Chris Gayle | 25 |
| 9 | Sanath Jayasuriya | 28 |
| 10 | Brian Lara | 19 |
One of the biggest traits in the current century file is Kohli moving past Tendulkar’s ODI-century mark.
Most T20 International Centuries
T20Is are significantly shorter than Tests and ODIs, so centuries are comparatively rare.
Some main T20I century-makers include:
- Rohit Sharma
- Glenn Maxwell
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Colin Munro
- Chris Gayle
- Babar Azam
- Jos Buttler
Rohit Sharma’s 5 T20I centuries are especially terrific. He became one of the first players to establish himself as a prolific century-maker in T20I cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli
The evaluation between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli is one of the most famous debates in global cricket.
| Statistic | Sachin Tendulkar | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| International Centuries | 100 | 85 |
| Test Centuries | 51 | 30 |
| ODI Centuries | 49 | 54 |
| T20I Centuries | 0 | 1 |
| International Runs | 34,357 | 28,000+ |
| International Career | 1989–2013 | 2008–2026 |
Tendulkar nevertheless has the larger usual century tally, even as Kohli has overtaken him in ODI centuries.
The ICC lists Tendulkar with 34,357 global runs and one hundred centuries, making his universal career file precise.
Why Are International Centuries So Difficult?
Scoring a hundred runs in international cricket is difficult due to the fact that players face the world’s exceptional bowlers under pressure.
Several elements make a century tough:
1. Quality of Bowling
International batters face elite speedy bowlers and international-class spinners. A unmarried mistake can end an innings.
2. Different Conditions
Players should adapt to:
- Swinging conditions
- Seam movement
- Fast pitches
- Slow pitches
- Turning pitches
- Extreme heat
- Overseas conditions
3. Mental Pressure
Reaching a hundred can involve widespread stress, specifically whilst a batter is in the 90s.
4. Physical Fitness
Long Test innings can last for numerous hours. Maintaining concentration and health is crucial.
5. Consistency
Scoring one century is hard. Scoring 50, 70, or 100 international centuries requires awesome consistency over many years.
Why Sachin Tendulkar’s a hundred-Century Record Is Historic
Sachin Tendulkar’s record is incredible because he reached milestones that had never formerly been done.
He scored his:
- 1st global century: 1990
- 50th global century: at some stage in his lengthy global career
- 99th global century: 2011 World Cup against South Africa
- 100th international century: 16 March 2012 in opposition to Bangladesh
The look forward to his 100th century has become one of the biggest stories in cricket. After attaining 99 at some stage in the 2011 World Cup, Tendulkar needed to wait almost a yr earlier than completing his century of centuries.
Who Could Break Sachin Tendulkar’s Record?
At present, Virat Kohli is the nearest primary challenger.
He has 85 international centuries, which means he needs 15 more to attain Tendulkar’s record of one hundred.
However, breaking the record could be extraordinarily hard because it requires consistency and regular scoring.
The assignment isn’t always simply achieving a hundred. A player needs to preserve a completely excessive level of performance over a few years while staying healthy and to be had for worldwide cricket.
Difference Between International and Domestic Centuries
A participant’s total professional centuries may be a lot better than their international total.
For example, a batter may additionally score loads in:
- International cricket
- First-magnificence cricket
- List A cricket
- Domestic T20 competitions
- Franchise leagues
Only centuries scored in formally identified worldwide matches depend in the direction of the most centuries in worldwide cricket file.
Therefore, IPL centuries, County Championship centuries or other domestic hundreds must no longer robotically be brought to a participant’s global tally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has scored the most centuries in global cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with a hundred international centuries—51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs.
Who is 2d in the list of most international centuries?
Virat Kohli is 2d with 85 worldwide centuries, such as 30 Test, 54 ODI and one T20I century.
Who has the most ODI centuries?
Virat Kohli currently leads with 54 ODI centuries, beforehand of Sachin Tendulkar’s 49.
Who has the maximum Test centuries?
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with 51 Test centuries.
How many centuries did Ricky Ponting score?
Ricky Ponting scored 71 international centuries, consisting of 41 Test centuries and 30 ODI centuries.
How many centuries does Joe Root have?
Joe Root has 61 worldwide centuries in the latest 2026 information used right here, which includes forty one Test centuries and 20 ODI centuries.
Has anyone scored 100 worldwide centuries other than Tendulkar?
No. Sachin Tendulkar remains the only cricketer to attain a hundred international centuries.
Conclusion
The record for the most centuries in international cricket belongs to Sachin Tendulkar, who completed his legendary career with one hundred worldwide hundreds. His record includes 51 Test centuries and 49 ODI centuries.
Virat Kohli is the closest challenger with 85 worldwide centuries and has already exceeded Tendulkar’s ODI-century record by accomplishing 54 ODI centuries. Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Jacques Kallis and Joe Root are also among the finest century-makers in worldwide cricket.
A century is more than just a 3-digit rating. It represents concentration, talent, consistency, and the capability to perform under stress. Reaching one hundred worldwide centuries requires an top notch profession, that is why Tendulkar’s century of centuries remains certainly one of cricket’s most iconic achievements.
