Most Centuries in Cricket — All Formats Combined (Test + ODI + T20I) 2026

In cricket, a century — 100 runs in a single innings — is the defining measure of a batter's greatness. Scoring one requires concentration, technique, and the mental strength to convert a good start into a landmark. Scoring 50 or 100 of them across an international career is what separates the legends.

This article provides the definitive, updated list of batters with the most international centuries across all three formats: Test, ODI, and T20 International cricket.

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Sachin Tendulkar — 100 International Centuries: The Untouchable Record

The number 100 is sacred in cricket. Sachin Tendulkar reached it in March 2012 against Bangladesh in Mirpur — his 100th international century across Test and ODI cricket. No batter has come close since.

Tendulkar's breakdown:

• 51 Test centuries — the most by any batter in Test history
• 49 ODI centuries — the most by any batter in ODI history
• 0 T20I centuries — Tendulkar played only one T20I in his career

His 100-century milestone took 23 years of international cricket, 664 international matches, and extraordinary longevity. He retired in 2013 with no serious challenger in sight.

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Most International Centuries — All Formats Combined (2026)

Rank	Batsman	Country	Test 100s	ODI 100s	T20I 100s	Total
1	Sachin Tendulkar	India	51	49	0	100
2	Virat Kohli	India	30	50	1	81
3	Ricky Ponting	Australia	41	30	0	71
4	Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	38	25	0	63
5	Mahela Jayawardene	Sri Lanka	34	19	2	55
6	Hashim Amla	South Africa	28	27	0	55
7	AB de Villiers	South Africa	22	25	0	47
8	Brian Lara	West Indies	34	19	0	53
9	Rohit Sharma	India	12	29	4	45
10	Chris Gayle	West Indies	15	23	2	40

Figures updated to April 2026. Virat Kohli's ODI tally of 50 centuries (as of 2026) equals Tendulkar's ODI record.

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Virat Kohli — Closing in on Tendulkar

Virat Kohli is the only active batter realistically within range of Tendulkar's record. With 81 international centuries across all formats as of April 2026, Kohli needs 19 more to equal the mark — a gap that remains significant but not impossible.

Kohli's distribution:

• 30 Test centuries — among the most by any current player
• 50 ODI centuries — equalling Tendulkar's ODI record
• 1 T20I century — scored against Afghanistan at the 2022 Asia Cup

Kohli's achievement of reaching 50 ODI centuries is a landmark in its own right. When Tendulkar set that record, most experts considered it unbreakable. Kohli proved otherwise.

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Ricky Ponting — 71 Centuries and Australia's All-Time Greatest

Ricky Ponting retired in 2012 with 71 international centuries — 41 in Tests and 30 in ODIs. He never played T20 Internationals. Ponting remains the highest-scoring Australian batter in international history and the second-highest scorer in Test cricket behind Tendulkar.

His 41 Test centuries include 13 against England, making him one of the most prolific scorers in the most heated bilateral rivalry in cricket.

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Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene — Sri Lanka's Twin Pillars

Sri Lanka produced two of cricket's most prolific century-scorers in the same era. Kumar Sangakkara scored 63 international centuries (38 Tests, 25 ODIs) and held the record for most consecutive Test hundreds (four) until the record was broken.

Mahela Jayawardene scored 55 international centuries including 34 in Tests and 2 T20 International hundreds. Jayawardene's 374 in a Test against South Africa remains the highest individual Test score by a Sri Lankan.

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Most Test Centuries: Top 5

Batsman	Country	Test Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar	India	51
Ricky Ponting	Australia	41
Jacques Kallis	South Africa	45
Kumar Sangakkara	Sri Lanka	38
Rahul Dravid	India	36

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Most ODI Centuries: Top 5

Batsman	Country	ODI Centuries
Sachin Tendulkar	India	49
Virat Kohli	India	50*
Ricky Ponting	Australia	30
Rohit Sharma	India	29
AB de Villiers	South Africa	25

Kohli surpassed Tendulkar's ODI century record in 2023 and has continued to add to his tally.

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T20 International Centuries — A Rare Achievement

T20I centuries deserve special mention because they are genuinely rare. In over 2,000 T20 International matches played since 2005, fewer than 25 players have scored a T20I century. The format's short innings mean conditions for a century are difficult to achieve consistently.

Most T20I Centuries

Rohit Sharma of India holds the record for most T20 International centuries with 4 hundreds. No other batter has more than 3. Rohit's 4 T20I hundreds are evidence of his unique ability to dominate the format at the highest level — an achievement that makes his overall century record even more impressive when combined with his ODI and Test contributions.

Batsman	Country	T20I Centuries
Rohit Sharma	India	4
Colin Munro	New Zealand	3
Glenn Maxwell	Australia	3
David Miller	South Africa	2
Hazratullah Zazai	Afghanistan	2
Mahela Jayawardene	Sri Lanka	2
Chris Gayle	West Indies	2

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Why T20I Centuries Are So Rare

In a 20-over format, each team faces a maximum of 120 deliveries. If a batter comes in at number one and stays for the entire innings, they can face at most 120 balls. In practice, openers rarely face more than 60-70 balls in a T20I.

Scoring 100 off those deliveries requires a strike rate of approximately 143+, and batters must also manage dot balls, poor deliveries, and rotations. This combination of factors makes the T20I century a genuine elite benchmark — rarer even than a Test double century.

For more cricket terminology and format explanations, visit our Cricket Glossary. You can also read our companion articles on fastest bowlers in cricket history for the bowling side of the game's great records.

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Where Does Kohli End Up?

The central question around Tendulkar's record is not whether anyone will beat it but whether Kohli can get close. At 81 centuries and still active, Kohli needs 19 more. If he averages 4-5 centuries per year, that would take roughly 4-5 more years of international cricket.

Given that Tendulkar himself played until 40, and Kohli remains a central figure in Indian cricket as of 2026, reaching 90-95 centuries seems plausible. Matching 100 would be a once-in-a-generation achievement — but the cricket world waits to see.

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FAQ

Who has the most international centuries in cricket? Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most international centuries with 100 — 51 in Test cricket and 49 in ODIs. No other batter has come close to this landmark across the history of the sport.

Who is closest to Tendulkar's record? Virat Kohli is the closest active batter to Tendulkar's record, with 81 international centuries as of April 2026. He has already equalled Tendulkar's ODI century record of 49 (and surpassed it with 50). However, the overall gap of 19 centuries remains a significant challenge.

Who has the most centuries in ODI cricket alone? Virat Kohli holds the record for the most ODI centuries with 50 as of 2026, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's previous record of 49. Ricky Ponting is third with 30 ODI centuries, while Rohit Sharma is fourth with 29.

How many players have scored 50 or more international centuries? As of 2026, only two players have scored 50 or more international centuries across all formats combined: Sachin Tendulkar (100) and Virat Kohli (81). Ricky Ponting is third with 71, making the 50-century club an exceptionally exclusive one.