Most Centuries in International Cricket – Top 87 Ranked

Last updated: August 22, 2026

Cricket fans love one question more than any other. Who really has the most centuries in international cricket? The answer changes a little depending on which format you check. Test cricket, ODIs, and T20Is each crown their own separate champion. This guide breaks down every record in simple terms, so you get the full picture in one place.

Who Really Holds the Most Centuries in International Cricket?

Sachin Tendulkar sits at the very top when you combine every format together. He scored 100 centuries across Tests and ODIs during a 24-year career. Nobody else has ever touched three figures.

Virat Kohli is the only player still chasing that number. He has 85 international centuries so far, and he keeps adding to that tally every season. Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, and dozens of other greats also built serious century counts, but Tendulkar’s total remains untouchable for now.

Every Player With the Most Centuries in International Cricket (Full List)

This table covers every player with 20 or more combined hundreds across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. It shows just how rare this level of consistency really is, spanning nearly a century of cricket history.

Only two names have ever crossed 80 combined centuries. That gap between Tendulkar, Kohli, and everyone else tells you how far ahead these two really stand.

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Most Test Centuries in International Cricket

Test cricket asks for patience over five days. Survival matters as much as stroke play here. The list of most Test centuries looks a little different from the combined rankings above.

Tendulkar leads this format too, but the margin shrinks compared to his combined record. Joe Root is still playing, which means his tally could climb higher before his career ends.

Most Centuries in ODI Cricket

One Day cricket rewards batters who build a long innings without rushing early on. Virat Kohli owns this format outright, and his numbers keep growing every series.

Kohli now stands ahead of Tendulkar when you count most centuries in ODI cricket alone. That single fact explains why so many fans already call him the greatest ODI batter ever. Rohit Sharma sits third, completing a strong showing for India near the top of the format.

Most Centuries in T20I Cricket

T20I cricket is the newest format, so hundreds arrive far less often here. Innings are shorter, and risk-taking usually beats patience. Even so, a few batters have managed the feat more than once.

Two players share the top spot for most centuries in T20I cricket right now. Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell have both reached five hundreds apiece. Suryakumar Yadav and Phil Salt sit just one behind, and both remain active, so this record could shift soon. On the women’s side, Esha Oza of the UAE also has 5 T20I centuries, matching the men’s record in a format tracked separately by gender.

Sachin Tendulkar’s Century Legacy Explained

Tendulkar made his debut in 1989 as a teenager. He retired in 2013 after scoring 34,357 international runs. Along the way, he built the most centuries in international cricket, which still stands today.

He scored hundreds against every major cricket nation. He handled fast bowling and spin with equal comfort. His average of 48.52 across 664 matches shows just how consistent he stayed over 24 long years.

Virat Kohli and the Race for More Centuries

Kohli debuted in 2008 and quickly built a reputation for chasing down targets. He now averages 52.71 across his career, higher than almost every legend on this list.

His 85 international hundreds already place him second on the all-time chart. He leads the ODI format outright with 54 centuries. If his current form continues, he remains the only realistic threat to Tendulkar’s overall record.

Other Batting Legends on the List

Ricky Ponting finished with 71 centuries and led Australia through its most dominant era. His aggressive captaincy matched his aggressive batting style perfectly.

Kumar Sangakkara combined elegance with reliability, ending his career with 63 hundreds for Sri Lanka. Jacques Kallis added 62 centuries alongside his all-round bowling skills, making him one of the most complete cricketers ever.

Joe Root, Hashim Amla, Mahela Jayawardene, and Brian Lara round out the top ten. Root remains active and keeps adding centuries for England. Lara is remembered for his unbeaten 400 in Test cricket, still the highest individual score in the format’s history.

Active Players Who Could Break These Records

Virat Kohli remains the closest active threat to Tendulkar’s combined total. Every match he plays adds pressure on that century record.

Joe Root continues chasing more Test hundreds for England. Rohit Sharma still adds to his ODI and T20I tallies too. Babar Azam and Suryakumar Yadav both sit close behind the T20I leaders, and either man could grab sole ownership of that record soon.

Why Centuries Still Matter in Modern Cricket

A century proves a batter can dominate an entire session or innings. It shows skill, patience, and the ability to handle pressure without breaking down.

Coaches and fans track most centuries in international cricket lists because these numbers reveal true greatness. Anyone can score a good fifty on a lucky day. Very few players can convert that start into three figures again and again across decades.

Conclusion

Sachin Tendulkar remains the undisputed king when it comes to most centuries in international cricket, thanks to his combined tally of 100 hundreds. Virat Kohli leads the modern chase, and he already owns the record for most centuries in ODI cricket. Joe Root keeps climbing the Test charts, while Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell share the crown for most centuries in T20I cricket. These numbers will keep changing as active players add to their tallies, but for now, Tendulkar’s legacy still sits right at the top.

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