Joe Root becomes player with fifth-most Test centuries; check full list

England’s most successful batter, Joe Root, continues to add records to his incredible career, as seen on the first day of the third Test against India at Lord’s, London. Root became the only player in cricket history to complete 3,000 Test runs against India when he crossed the 45-run mark. But the Yorkshire batter decided not to stop there and went on to convert his brilliant start into a big century on the second day off 192 balls with a boundary on the first ball of the day off Bumrah. This is Root’s 37th Test hundred, and with it, he has now surpassed Steve Smith and Rahul Dravid to become the player with the fifth-most Test centuries in men’s Test cricket history. 

 

Root needs just one century to equal and two more to surpass fourth-placed Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara, who has 38 Test centuries to his name. Meanwhile, Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar still holds the top spot with 51 Test centuries, followed by Jacques Kallis (45 Test centuries) and Ricky Ponting (41 Test centuries). Notably, all the players in the top six are former skippers of their respective nations.

 

Players with career Test centuries:

 

Rank	Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Runs	HS	100	50
1	SR Tendulkar (IND)	1989–2013	200	329	15921	248*	51	68
2	JH Kallis (ICC/SA)	1995–2013	166	280	13289	224	45	58
3	RT Ponting (AUS)	1995–2012	168	287	13378	257	41	62
4	KC Sangakkara (SL)	2000–2015	134	233	12400	319	38	52
5	JE Root (ENG)	2012–2025	156	284	13218	262	37	66
6	SPD Smith (AUS)	2010–2025	118	210	10424	239	36	43
7	R Dravid (ICC/IND)	1996–2012	164	286	13288	270	36	63
8	Younis Khan (PAK)	2000–2017	118	213	10099	313	34	33
9	SM Gavaskar (IND)	1971–1987	125	214	10122	236*	34	45
10	BC Lara (ICC/WI)	1990–2006	131	232	11953	400*	34	48
11	DPMD Jayawardene (SL)	1997–2014	149	252	11814	374	34	50
12	KS Williamson (NZ)	2010–2024	105	186	9276	251	33	37
13	AN Cook (ENG)	2006–2018	161	291	12472	294	33	57