5 batters who have scored consecutive hundreds in men's T20Is ft. Sanju Samson
It wasn't long ago when batting milestones in T20s started from 30, given there were only 120 balls in an innings. Yet, with time comes evolution and innovation and scoring centuries in a 20-over game has become commonplace in this day and age.
The advent of several leagues worldwide has only further increased the frequency of three-figure scores among batters. However, scoring centuries in T20Is, where the quality of bowling is of the highest order, isn't as common as they are in franchise cricket.
While several batters have T20I centuries to their name, only seven have reached the landmark more than twice. Furthermore, scoring back-to-back centuries in any format is no mean feat, and accomplishing the same in T20Is is near impossible.
Yet, four batters have risen to the occasion and scored centuries in consecutive T20I innings - an achievement that warrants massive plaudits. It is no surprise that all four occasions have come from the middle of 2022, considering the batter-dominated direction the T20 game has headed towards.
On that note, we take a look at the batters who have smashed centuries in back-to-back T20I innings.
#1 Gustav Mckeon - France
Even ardent cricket fans may not know that France's Gustav Mckeon was the first-ever batter to score consecutive centuries in T20Is. What makes Mckeon's achievement further impressive is that he pulled off the back-to-back 100s in his second and third T20I outing.
After scoring a 54-ball 76 on his T20I debut against the Czech Republic, Mckeon smashed a 61-ball 109 in his second match against Switzerland, becoming the youngest male batter to score a T20I ton.
The dream start to his career continued when the Mckeon at just 19 scored a 53-ball 101 two days later against Norway.
Despite his heroics, France did not cross 160 in either of the two encounters and lost the Switzerland game off the final ball. However, Mckeon's efforts did not go in vain against Norway as France managed an 11-run victory.
Overall, the youngster has played 20 T20Is thus far and averages an impressive 41.31 at a strike rate of 147.
#2 Rilee Rossouw - South Africa
South Africa's Rilee Rossouw became the first batter from a Test playing nation to score consecutive T20I centuries in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. The southpaw made a return to the T20I side after six years in 2022 and scored 96* against England in his second game back.
Rossouw, however, soon lost form and scored back-to-back ducks in the first two games of the T20I series in India. Yet, in the final encounter, the southpaw smashed a breathtaking 100* off 48 deliveries to help the Proteas pull off a 49-run victory.
He took the form straight into the T20 World Cup followed by smashing a hapless Bangladesh attack for 109 off 56 balls. Between the India and Bangladesh contest, South Africa played Zimbabwe in their T20 World Cup opener but the game ended in a no-result due to rain, enabling Rossouw to complete this incredible landmark.
Much like the India match, South Africa crushed Bangladesh by 104 runs on the back of Rossouw's century.
#3 Phil Salt - England
![Salt tore the West Indian attack into pieces during the T20I series last year [Credit: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/c384d-17310849088185-1920.jpg)
England wicket-keeper batter Phil Salt has established himself as one of the best T20 batters in the world over the past two years. While he was always capable of producing quickfire cameos in the powerplay, the 28-year-old brought in more consistency to his game towards the back end of 2023.
In the process, Salt also smashed consecutive centuries during the West Indies T20Is in December last year. With England trailing 0-2 in the best-of-five affair, the right-hander scored a brilliant 56-ball 109* to help the side successfully chase down 223 and stay alive in the series.
Salt followed that up with another breathtaking 119 off 57 balls to help England post a massive 267/3 in 20 overs. They won that contest by 85 runs to level the series 2-2.
With the two centuries, Salt took his white-ball batting to new heights and hasn't looked back since.
#4 Sanju Samson - India
What a difference a change of batting position makes. India's Sanju Samson was an enigma that was proving to be impossible to solve even for the Einsteins of cricket.
The 29-year-old was churning out runs for fun in the IPL and 50-over cricket, yet, with all the talent in the world, couldn't solve the T20I puzzle. However, the magic move happened when Samson was made to open the batting in the recent home T20I series against Bangladesh.
After missing out in the first two T20Is and with his spot in the side under severe threat, Samson finally flexed all his stroke-making muscles in the series finale. The stylish right-hander scored a majestic 111 off 47 deliveries to help India complete the whitewash of Bangladesh.
Having derived extreme confidence from that knock, Samson made it back-to-back centuries by scoring 107 off 50 balls in the first T20I in South Africa. His onslaught helped India finish on an above-par 202/8 in 20 overs.
#5 Tilak Varma - India
Another young Indian batter made merry in the ongoing South African T20I tour by smashing back-to-back centuries in the final two games of the series. After batting at No.4 in the opening two T20Is, the 22-year-old got the opportunity to bat at one drop in the next two outings and took it with both hands.
Tilak scored a breathtaking 107* off 56 deliveries in the third T20I at Centurion to help India take a 2-1 series lead. The southpaw was even better in the final encounter, smashing a majestic 120* off 47 balls to help India post a mammoth 283/1 in 20 overs.
Tilak reached his century off a mere 41 balls to become the third fastest Indian batter to the landmark in T20Is.