6 fastest centuries by Indian batsmen in Test cricket
A century in Test cricket is the dream of every cricketer. Although the rate of scoring is not considered a big factor in Test matches, a quickfire three-figure knock does help the team in getting more time to bowl out the opposition twice.
Sachin Tendulkar, with 51 centuries to his name, holds the record for the most hundreds in Test cricket. Brendon McCullum has scored the fastest century in Test cricket. He smashed a ton off just 54 deliveries against Australia at Christchurch in February 2016.
On that note, let us have a look at the 6 fastest centuries, in terms of the number of deliveries faced, by Indian batsmen in Test cricket.
The 6 fastest centuries by Indian batsmen in Test cricket
#T5 Kapil Dev - 86 balls
Kapil Dev holds the record for the joint fifth-fastest century by an Indian batsman in Test cricket. This hundred came off just 86 balls against England in February 1982.
The Indian team faced the Englishmen in the 6th Test match of the latter's tour of India at Kanpur. The England captain Keith Fletcher won the toss and elected to bat first.
England declared their first innings at a score of 378 for the loss of 9 wickets, with Ian Botham scoring a century on their behalf. Kapil Dev came to the middle with the Indian score reading 207/6, with Ravi Shastri as the last man dismissed.
The 'Haryana Hurricane' launched a blistering attack on the English bowlers with a sedate Yashpal Sharma giving him company at the other end. Kapil Dev reached his century off just 86 balls and went on to score 116 runs before he was dismissed by David Gower.
The knock, which came off 98 deliveries, was studded with 16 fours and a couple of sixes. Kapil Dev scored 116 runs in the 169-run partnership with Yashpal Sharma.
This century was the fastest ton by an Indian batsman at the time and it helped the Indian team salvage a draw as they finished with a score of 377/7 at the end of the fifth day.
India won the series 1-0, with Kapil Dev named as the Man of the Series.
#T5 Hardik Pandya - 86 balls
Hardik Pandya emulated Kapil Dev in scoring the joint fifth-fastest century by an Indian batsman in Test cricket. His 86-ball knock came against Sri Lanka in August 2017.
The Indian team faced Sri Lanka in the 3rd Test match of the tour to their southern neighbours at Pallekele. The Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first.
Hardik Pandya joined Wriddhiman Saha in the middle with the Indian score reading 322 for the loss of 6 wickets. Although Saha could not last long, Pandya took the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers in the company of the lower order batsmen.
The Baroda all-rounder was only on 50 off 61 deliveries when India lost their 9th wicket in the form of Mohammed Shami. With Umesh Yadav as the last man in, Pandya smashed his next fifty runs off just 25 balls to get to a hundred off 86 deliveries.
He was eventually dismissed for 108 runs off 96 balls, a knock studded with 8 fours and 7 sixes. Pandya's ton helped India reach a score of 487 runs in their first innings.
Sri Lanka was dismissed for 135 and 181 in their two innings as the Indian team went on to win the match by an innings and 171 runs. Hardik Pandya was awarded the Man of the Match for his swashbuckling knock.