Fastest batsmen to score 50 international centuries
The landscape of international cricket is changing at a rapid pace. Records are being set and broken with almost every game. Records are meant to be broken and with the evolution of cricket, modern-day batsmen have become ravenous to score as many centuries as possible.
Aside from being the only batsman in the history of the game to score 100 international tons, Sachin Tendulkar was also the first batsman to go past the 50-mark. The race to break the legendary Indian batsman's elusive record is on. The likes of Virat Kohli, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steven Smith are among the leading contenders to reach the 100-century club.
Also Read: Virat Kohli's 50th international century - A comparison with Tendulkar, Ponting and Sangakkara
As of 24th November 2017, eight batsmen have scored 50 or more international tons. Let us take a look at all of them in ascending order of fastest to the landmark. Interestingly, all eight of the batting icons' 50th international tons came in Test matches.
#7 Mahela Jayawardene (667 innings)
The pillar of Sri Lanka's batting order for close to two decades, Mahela Jayawardene took 667 innings to join the elite club. In the 2014 Test match against Bangladesh in Dhaka, Jayawardene (203*) scored the 50th international ton of his career. It was the seventh double ton and 33rd hundred of his Test career.
Before retiring from all forms of cricket in 2015, Jayawardene had 34 Test, 19 ODI and a T20I ton under his belt. Jayawardene scored at least one century a year for 15 years in a row from 1998 to 2012. Only two other players such as Jacques Kallis for 17 years (1997 to 2013) and Rahul Dravid for 15 years (1997 to 2011) have such long sequences of tons.