5 best knocks played in 100th Tests
Playing 100 Tests is not a mean feat. It requires a lot of grit, determination, and hard work to sustain for a long period of time in the traditional format. Only 74 cricketers in history have achieved the feat.
Former Australian skipper Steve Smith will become the 75th cricketer to reach the milestone when he takes the field during the third Ashes Test against England at Headingley, starting on Thursday, July 6.
Smith will become the 15th Aussie cricketer to join the 100-Test club, the joint-most by any nation along with England.
Playing 100 Tests in itself is a big task and making it memorable by scoring a hundred or taking a five-wicket haul is another separate story altogether.
Only 10 batters have managed to score a hundred in their 100th Test outings. Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, meanwhile, scored tons in both innings of his 100th Test.
On that note, let's take a look at the five best knocks played in 100th Tests.
#1 David Warner - 200 (AUS vs SA, 2022)
David Warner came into the second Test against South Africa on the back of immense pressure after going three years without scoring a century. With his place in the side being questioned, the southpaw needed to produce something magical to retain his berth in the playing XI.
Warner, known for his gritty character, brought out one of his best Test knocks in the grandest stage possible, his 100th red-ball appearance for Australia.
He took on the short ball that dismissed him in the first Test in Brisbane with fearlessness, playing square of the wicket at will, despite getting hit on the helmet once while trying to pull Anrich Nortje.
However, it didn't deter his confidence as he relentlessly played shots both in front and square of the wicket. Warner struck Kagiso Rabada for a boundary to reach the 100-run mark off 144 balls before unleashing carnage in the second session of Day 2.
He took just 110 more deliveries to reach his double hundred, battling through cramps and excessive heat with the temperature touching the 37-degree mark.
Warner pulled his hamstring while celebrating in his trademark style after reaching the double hundred and had to retire hurt. Although he later came out to bat, he couldn't add to his tally of 200 runs.
The left-handed batter became only the second cricketer to score a double hundred in his 100th Test. Former England skipper Joe Root achieved it against India in Chennai.
Warner also became only the second player to score a century in both his 100th ODI as well as 100th Test after West Indies great Gordon Greenidge.
#2 Joe Root - 218 (IND vs ENG, 2021)
Joe Root is arguably one of the best players of spin in modern-day cricket. He had bigger goals of guiding England to a series win in India for the first time since 2012-13.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bat on a dry Chennai wicket. Root, playing his 100th Test, came out to the middle with the scoreboard reading 63/2.
The right-handed batter completely decimated the Indian bowlers, playing shots all over the park. He looked in complete control of proceedings against the likes of ace spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Root batted for 536 minutes and 377 deliveries, scoring 218, a knock laced with 19 boundaries and two sixes. He was the first batter to score a double hundred in his 100th Test and also boasts the highest score in the landmark game.
England went on to post 578 runs in the first innings, and an equally good job from the bowlers helped the visitors rack up a 227-run win.
#3 Inzamam-ul-Haq - 184 (IND vs PAK, 2005)
Inzamam-ul-Haq was a gun batter during his playing days and one of the best to come out of Pakistan. He had all the shots in his book and was pretty comfortable against both pace and spin.
Playing his 100th Test against his favorite opponent, India, the stage was set for Inzamam to make it a grand affair. The former Pakistan skipper didn't let the opportunity go begging and played a mammoth 184-run knock at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The Men in Green decided to bat first and was rocked early by Indian pacers. Reeling at 7/2, Inzamam joined hands with Yunus Khan to rebuild the innings. The duo shared a mammoth 324-run partnership for the third wicket to put their team in pole position.
By the time Inzamam was dismissed by Laxmipathy Balaji, he had already put up 184 runs beside his name, the highest score at that time in the 100th Test. During his 264-ball stay in the middle, the right-handed batter slammed 25 boundaries.
Pakistan went on to post a 570-run total in the first innings. India conceded a big first-innings lead, and coupled with a poor showing with the bat in the second innings, suffered a humiliating 168-run loss.
#4 Gordon Greenidge - 149 (WI vs ENG, 1990)
Former West Indies skipper Gordon Greenidge is arguably one of the finest openers in the history of the sport. His fearless batting against some of the greatest fast bowlers was a treat to watch for fans.
Greenidge celebrated his 100th Test milestone with a well-compiled hundred against England at St. Johns. After bowling England out for a mere 260, Greenidge and Desmond Haynes came out all guns blazing against the English bowlers.
The pair added 298 runs for the first wicket before Greenidge was run out. The right-handed batter smashed 149 runs off 207 deliveries with the help of 18 boundaries and three sixes. It was a knock of the highest caliber against a four-prong pace attack.
West Indies posted 446 runs in the first innings, securing a crucial 186-run lead. In reply, England could only muster 154 in their second essay, thus, losing the match by an innings and 32 runs.
#5 Javed Miandad - 145 (PAK vs IND, 1989)
Pakistan's Javed Miandad was the second batter to score a ton in his 100th Test after England's Colin Cowdrey. He achieved the feat during the third Test of the 1989 India tour of Pakistan in Lahore.
Opting to bat first, an unbeaten double hundred from Sanjay Manjrekar propelled the visiting side to 509 runs. India batted for 178.2 overs to tire out Pakistan and put them out of the contest.
However, the hosts came up with a brilliant reply, batting for the remaining three days. Six out of the seven Pakistan batters scored at least a half-century, handing the Indian bowlers a good beating. Aamer Malik and Miandad scored centuries, while Shoaib Mohammad scored an unbeaten double-hundred.
While Miandad's knock was overshadowed by Shoaib, the former played a classical innings against a quality Indian attack. He scored 145 off 289 deliveries, hitting 10 boundaries in the process.
The match eventually ended in a draw after five days of cricket witnessed over 1200 runs being scored on a flat Lahore wicket.