Scoring a century in international cricket is one of the clearest markers of batting excellence. It demands concentration, technical control, physical endurance and the ability to adapt to different opponents, conditions and formats.
Only a select group of batters have reached 40 or more international centuries, while just one has crossed the extraordinary 100-century mark. This leaderboard looks at the most centuries in international cricket, including Test, ODI and T20I hundreds.
For active players, totals can change as their careers continue, so current figures should always be read with an appropriate date reference.
Top 10 Batters With the Most International Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar remains the only batter to have scored 100 international centuries. Virat Kohli sits second after extending his ODI record to 55 hundreds in September 2026. Joe Root has also moved well beyond the total stated in the original version of this article, with 61 international centuries in the latest available figures.
Rank | Player | Country | Test 100s | ODI 100s | T20I 100s | Total |
1 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 51 | 49 | 0 | 100 |
2 | Virat Kohli | India | 30 | 55 | 1 | 86 |
3 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 41 | 30 | 0 | 71 |
4 | Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 38 | 25 | 0 | 63 |
5 | Jacques Kallis | South Africa | 45 | 17 | 0 | 62 |
6 | Joe Root | England | 41 | 20 | 0 | 61 |
7 | Hashim Amla | South Africa | 28 | 27 | 0 | 55 |
8 | Mahela Jayawardene | Sri Lanka | 34 | 19 | 1 | 54 |
9 | Brian Lara | West Indies | 34 | 19 | 0 | 53 |
10 | Rohit Sharma | India | 12 | 33 | 5 | 50 |
Sachin Tendulkar vs Virat Kohli: The Century Record
The comparison between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli naturally dominates discussions about international centuries.
Tendulkar finished his career with 100 international hundreds: 51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs. His total remains the benchmark because it combines extraordinary longevity with sustained production across two very different formats.
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Kohli has followed a different path. He has already surpassed Tendulkar's ODI century record, reaching 55 hundreds in the format by September 2026. He also has 30 Test centuries and one T20I hundred, giving him 86 international centuries.
Key differences between Tendulkar and Kohli
Overall record: Tendulkar leads with 100 international centuries to Kohli's 86.
Test centuries: Tendulkar finished with 51, while Kohli made 30 before retiring from Test cricket.
ODI centuries: Kohli leads with 55, ahead of Tendulkar's 49.
T20I centuries: Kohli has one, his unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in 2022. Tendulkar played only one T20I.
Current career: Kohli retired from Tests and T20Is and now plays international cricket only in ODIs.
Kohli's 55th ODI century against the West Indies in September 2026 also took his overall international tally to 86.
Most Test Centuries in International Cricket
Test cricket places a different set of demands on batters. Long innings require patience, defensive technique and concentration over multiple sessions, often against bowlers exploiting movement, bounce or deterioration in the pitch.
Top Test century scorers:
Sachin Tendulkar — 51
Jacques Kallis — 45
Joe Root — 41
Ricky Ponting — 41
Kumar Sangakkara — 38
Root's 41 Test centuries have made him England's leading century-maker in the format. His total has also moved him into the company of the game's most prolific Test batters.
Most ODI Centuries in International Cricket
ODI batting requires a balance between accumulation and acceleration. A batter must manage the middle overs while retaining enough scoring intent to capitalize on the later stages of the innings.
Virat Kohli now holds the outright ODI century record with 55 hundreds, six ahead of Tendulkar's 49. Rohit Sharma follows with 33 ODI centuries.
Rank | Player | ODI Centuries |
1 | Virat Kohli | 55 |
2 | Sachin Tendulkar | 49 |
3 | Rohit Sharma | 33 |
4 | 30 | |
5 | 28 |
Kohli's ODI record is particularly notable because his international career is now concentrated in the 50-over format. His 55th ODI century came against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026.
Most T20I Centuries
T20I centuries are considerably rarer because batters have only 120 legal deliveries available to score in a standard innings.
Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell share the record with five T20I centuries each. Rohit's five hundreds form part of his 50 international centuries overall.
Suryakumar Yadav is among the leading active T20I century-makers with four hundreds, while other players can still add to the record as the format continues to expand internationally.
Active Players Challenging the All-Time Century Records
Several modern batters remain relevant to the all-time leaderboard, although their career paths differ significantly.
Joe Root
Root has already reached 61 international centuries, including 41 Test and 20 ODI hundreds. His record is heavily weighted toward Test cricket, where his consistency has made him England's leading century-maker. Because he remains active, his total can still increase.
Steve Smith
Steve Smith has 49 international centuries, comprising 37 in Tests and 12 in ODIs. His latest Test century came against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2026. His T20I century tally remains zero.
Kane Williamson
Williamson has built a substantial century record through his Test and ODI career. His batting has been particularly important to New Zealand in the longer format, where his technique and ability to construct long innings have produced numerous hundreds.
Rohit Sharma
Rohit has reached 50 international centuries, including 12 Test hundreds, 33 ODI hundreds and five T20I hundreds. His tally makes him the 10th player to reach 50 international centuries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has scored the most centuries in international cricket?
Sachin Tendulkar holds the record with 100 international centuries, comprising 51 Test hundreds and 49 ODI hundreds.
Who has the most international centuries among active cricketers?
Virat Kohli leads active players with 86 international centuries, including 30 Test hundreds, 55 ODI hundreds and one T20I hundred.
Who has scored the most ODI centuries?
Virat Kohli holds the ODI record with 55 centuries, ahead of Sachin Tendulkar's 49.
Who has scored the most Test centuries?
Sachin Tendulkar leads Test cricket with 51 centuries, followed by Jacques Kallis with 45.
Where does Joe Root rank for international centuries?
Root has 61 international centuries in the latest available figures, placing him sixth on the all-time leaderboard. He has 41 Test hundreds and 20 ODI hundreds.
What is Sir Don Bradman's position on the list?
Bradman scored 29 Test centuries in 52 matches. His overall international total is lower because his career was confined to Test cricket at a time when ODIs and T20Is did not exist. His Test batting average of 99.94 remains one of cricket's defining statistical achievements.
