White jersey, scarce red ball, and the hard toil that can only be done off the field. This is the signature of Test cricket.
Test cricket is mostly a dream come true for the cricketers. And those who get the opportunity to play Test cricket make it a point to do so for a long time, thereby recording milestones along the way.
One remarkable milestone is the playing of 100 Tests. This is accrued through a huge number of years and hard work. Hence, it is a shared practice amongst players to have their hundredth Test a special one.
In this article, we are going to show you the batting legends who have scored a hundred in their 100th Test.
- Colin Cowdrey (England): 104 vs Australia | 1968
The first player to get a hundred on his 100th Test match was England’s Colin Cowdrey. In fact, he was the first cricketer ever to play in 100 Test matches.
Testing the waters once and for all, Cowdrey’s double delight turned out to be the 1968 Birmingham Test between England and Australia. The rain threatened to disrupt Cowdrey’s grand event, nonetheless. The first day saw no play at all.
On the second day Cowdrey, the captain of England, decided to bat first. And he took full advantage of the good batting conditions.
Cowdrey scored 104 runs batting at No. 3, thus aiding England in scoring 409 runs in total. However, the match was declared a draw.
- Javed Miandad (Pakistan): 145 vs India | 1989
Lahore’s flat track saw the batters scoring the most runs possible with four players scoring centuries – three from Pakistan and one from India – among the Pakistani ones was Javed Miandad.
The right-handed batter scored 145 runs batting at No. 4 thus being the second man to happen to be in Cowdrey’s company. Although the match ended in a boring draw it has been stored in memories because of Miandad’s rare double.
Interestingly, it was at the same place where Miandad had made his Test debut in 1976 and had scored a hundred (163 vs New Zealand). This made him the first player to score centuries in debut and 100th Test matches. What a rare feat, isn’t it?
- Gordon Greenidge (West Indies): 149 vs England | 1990
Younis Khan is not the only cricketer who scored in both his first and his last Test match. In 1990, the West Indies’ Gordon Greenidge followed the footsteps of Miandad.
After England had been dismissed for 260 runs in their first innings, Greenidge opened the batting with Desmond Haynes, and he scored 149 runs, which guaranteed the Windies a good start.
By forming a partnership of 298 runs for the first wicket, he contributed to his side getting a lead of 186 runs, which was more than enough to dismiss England for 154 and win the match.
- Alec Stewart (England): 105 vs West Indies | 2000
During the 2000 Manchester Test, Courtney Walsh was doing his best with the new ball. Alec Stewart came in at number 5, and the English team was already three down with just 17 runs scored.
Stewart was unwavering, and he developed a significant 179-run association with the debutant Marcus Trescothick. In the meantime, he reached the milestone of his hundred as well, making 105 runs in total.
Although the match ended in a draw, Stewart’s heroic 146-run lead was a significant factor in the entire affair.
- Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan): 184 vs India | 2005
Pakistan had already lost the first Test and were trailing in the series as they went into the third and final Test against India at Bengaluru.
The Pakistanis who opted to bat first found themselves in dire straits – 7 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Then, the captain Inzamam-ul-Haq took the charge in this 100th Test of his career.
He formed a strong partnership of 324 runs with Younis Khan for the third wicket. Moreover, he scored 184 runs during the celebrations of his milestone Test appearance.
Inzamam’s innings helped Pakistan reach 570 runs, which eventually led them to a win against the home side and the series being levelled at 1-1.
- Ricky Ponting (Australia): 120 & 143* vs South Africa | 2006
Ricky Ponting marked his 100th Test match with the honour of hitting twin centuries. Additionally, these pair of strikes clinched a 2-0 series triumph for Australia over South Africa.
In the 2006 Sydney Test, South Africa’s first innings total was 451 for 9, which they later declared. The Australian openers struggled but Ponting, with his 120, helped the team, although they were still behind by 92 runs at the end of the innings.
South Africa declared at 645 with a lead of 287 runs that allowed Australia to chase. Thanks to Ponting’s not out 143 runs, Australia overcame the target in 60.3 overs on the very last day.
- Graeme Smith (South Africa): 131 vs England | 2012
After England’s innings ended at 385 during the 2012 Test at The Oval, South African captain, Graeme Smith lost his first partner very early in the innings. He was later joined by Amla who was indeed a very good and solid partner and they formed a 259-run partnership.
He played a substantial role in building South Africa’s 637 for 2 (declared) batting score by scoring heavily with a knock of 131. Subsequently, he made the right moves with his bowling changes to get the Englishmen out and win by an inning and 12 runs.
- Hashim Amla (South Africa): 134 vs Sri Lanka | 2017
Amla, who logged the great record of his friend Smith and then found himself in the same situation in 2017. Playing one down, the right-hander scored a total of 134 runs during his stay in the crease.
He first became the anchor of South Africa’s innings after two quick wickets fell at 45 and then led the team to a total of 426 runs. The score was more than adequate as Sri Lanka surrendered in the 2017 Johannesburg Test with an innings and 118 runs defeat.
- Joe Root (England): 218 vs India | 2021
Joe Root’s journey to India was preceded by his two big scores of 228 and 186 in Sri Lanka. With that kind of form, a big score was just a matter of his 100th Test becoming that much more memorable.
The cosmos also worked to his advantage. Chennai had a wonderful pitch for batting which was utilized by the England denizen to the hilt.
Thus, Root collected 218 runs, becoming the first batter ever to hit a double century in his 100th Test match. He ended up celebrating the match with a victory of 227 runs.
- David Warner (Australia): 200 vs South Africa | 2022
David Warner was not a good form before the 2022 Melbourne Test against South Africa.
Critics were questioning his selection in the playing eleven. But he convinced everyone with his double hundred in his 100th Test.
Warner’s innings was not an easy one. The heat in Melbourne was too much, and Warner had cramps often. He, however, withstood the pain and broke his century drought.
Warner is among the few players to feature in 100 matches in each of the three international formats.
- Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh): 106 vs Ireland | 2025
Mushfiqur Rahim is the newest member of this list. He became the first player from Bangladesh to play 100 Tests.
Rahim is nothing less than a superstar in his homeland. He has been very diligent for over two decades. And he expressed the effort with a ton against Ireland in the 2025 Mirpur Test.
Rahim came in at No. 5, as Bangladesh was in a tough situation at 95 for 3. He then combined for a significant 107-run partnership with Mominul Haq to end the first day on 99.
Rahim came back the next day to continue his innings and get the milestone hundred. He, however, was out for 106 runs.
