Top 5 innings by a teenager in Test history

Scoring a Test century is a brilliant accomplishment regardless of the age of the player. However, it cannot be denied that players who are more experienced and more battle-hardened have a bit of an advantage in this regard since they know the many pitfalls associated when it comes to playing a brilliant innings in the longest format of the game.

Hence, it is perhaps easy to realise how tough it must be for a teenager to play a long innings in Test cricket. Displaying the patience, skill and temperament to score a century at such a young age is an achievement in itself. There have not been too many teenagers who have played such innings in Test cricket. Here is a look at 5 of the finest.

#5 Doug Walters 155 v England at Brisbane, 19 years 354 days

The former Australian great who went on to become one of the great middle-order batsmen of his time was a teen prodigy and was selected to play for the national team in the 1965 Ashes, while he was still only 19. Walters was one of the most compulsive stroke-makers in the Australian team and believed in taking on the bowlers as much as possible.

As a 19-year-old, he was probably far more attacking in nature and on his debut in the first Test of the Ashes at Brisbane in 1965, he showed he belonged to the biggest stage. Walters came in to bat at number 6 and made a brilliant 155 against an experienced England attack consisting of Fred Titmus and David Allen among others.

He hit 11 boundaries and smashed 2 sixes to make his debut a memorable one and there is no doubt that it is one of the best Test innings ever played by a teenager. The match ended in a draw.