Batting against a champion side like Australia comes with its own challenges. One failed knock and you are out of the lineup for an infinite time, or worse, never play again.
But a few batters never failed to bring their best against the Aussies. They piled up runs and, even better, centuries one after another!
So this article talks about the batters with the most centuries against Australia in Tests.
Leading Test Century-Scorers against Australia
| Player (Team) | Inns | 100s | Inns/100 | 50s | Runs | HS | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Hobbs (ENG) | 71 | 12 | 5.92 | 15 | 3636 | 187 | 54.26 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 74 | 11 | 6.73 | 16 | 3630 | 241* | 55.00 |
| Richie Richardson (WI) | 48 | 9 | 5.33 | 7 | 2175 | 182 | 49.43 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 53 | 9 | 5.89 | 5 | 2232 | 186 | 43.76 |
| Wally Hammond (ENG) | 58 | 9 | 6.44 | 7 | 2852 | 251 | 51.85 |
| Brian Lara (WI) | 58 | 9 | 6.44 | 11 | 2856 | 277 | 51.00 |
| David Gower (ENG) | 77 | 9 | 8.56 | 12 | 3269 | 215 | 44.78 |
| Sunil Gavaskar (IND) | 31 | 8 | 3.88 | 4 | 1550 | 172 | 51.66 |
| Herbert Sutcliffe (ENG) | 46 | 8 | 5.75 | 16 | 2741 | 194 | 66.85 |
| Maurice Leyland (ENG) | 34 | 7 | 4.86 | 3 | 1705 | 187 | 56.83 |
| John Edrich (ENG) | 57 | 7 | 8.14 | 13 | 2644 | 175 | 48.96 |
| Geoff Boycott (ENG) | 71 | 7 | 10.14 | 14 | 2945 | 191 | 47.50 |
| Larry Gomes (WI) | 23 | 6 | 3.83 | 3 | 1122 | 127 | 56.10 |
| Ijaz Ahmed (PAK) | 25 | 6 | 4.17 | 1 | 1085 | 155 | 47.17 |
| Javed Miandad (PAK) | 40 | 6 | 6.67 | 7 | 1797 | 211 | 47.28 |
Key Insights on Test Match Centuries Against Australia
Individual Century Records vs Australia in Tests
England’s Jack Hobbs has the most centuries against Australia in Tests, with 12 knocks in 71 innings.
Eleven of Hobbs 12 hundreds came as an opener, the most by a batter against Australia in that position.
Hobbs brought up nine of his 12 centuries in Australia, the most by a batter against the Aussies in their backyard in Tests.
Of the nine hundreds, Hobbs scored five at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the most by a batter against Australia at a single venue in Tests.
England’s Wally Hammond converted four of his nine centuries into double centuries, the most by a batter against Australia in Tests.
England’s Leonard Hutton is the only triple centurion against Australia in Tests, with his 364 in the 1938 Oval Test being the highest individual score.
Most Tons in a Series and Fastest Century vs Australia in Tests
West Indies’ Clyde Walcott has smashed the most centuries against Australia in a bilateral Test series. He scored five tons in the five-match home series in 1955. This is also the most centuries by a batter in a bilateral Test series.
New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum has hammered the fastest Test century against Australia. He took 54 balls to reach the 100-run mark in the 2016 Christchurch Test. This is also the fastest century in the format. (Relive McCullum’s whirlwind knock here.)
Most Test Hundreds as Captain and Wicketkeeper vs Australia
West Indies’ Brian Lara has smashed the most Test centuries as a captain against Australia, with five knocks in 15 innings.
South Africa’s Denis Lindsay, meanwhile, has scored the most hundreds as a wicketkeeper, with three tons in 12 innings.
Test Centuries by Youngest/Oldest and Wins/Losses vs Australia
India’s Sachin Tendulkar is the youngest batter to score a century against Australia in Tests. He was 18 years and 253 days old when he brought up an unbeaten 148 off 213 balls in the second innings of the 1992 Sydney Test.
Tendulkar is also the only batter to score two Test hundreds against the Aussies before turning 19, with his other knock being 114 off 161 balls in the 1992 Perth Test.
Hobbs’ 12th hundred against Australia came at the age of 46 years and 82 days, making him the oldest to do so. He scored 142 off 301 balls in the first innings of the 1929 Melbourne Test.
Hammond scored seven of his nine centuries in winning causes, the most by a batter against Australia in Tests.
Half of Hobbs’ 12 tons ended up on the losing side for England, the most by a batter against Australia in Tests.
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