Top Performers in Test Cricket: Explore the Players with the Most Triple Centuries

In the rich history of Test cricket, 27 players have managed to score triple hundreds. England’s Andy Sandham is the first batsman to score triple century in test cricket achieving the feat against West Indies in 1930. Here we have a look at the players who have hit triple centuries in Test cricket.

Don Bradman

The greatest batter of his generation, Sir Donald Bradman is among the four batters to have the most triple centuries in test cricket. Badman became the first-ever batter in the history of cricket to score 2 triple centuries and held the record to himself for almost 70 years before Brian Lara equalled the achievement in 2004. 

Bradman’s triple centuries were hit against England. His first triple hundred was scored in the 3rd Test of the 1930 series played at Leeds. In a stroke-filled knock, Bradman scored 334 in 448 balls with the help of 46 fours helping Australia to 566. England had to follow on but did well enough to draw the Test. Bradman’s 2nd triple hundred was notched at the same ground 4 years later in the 4th Test. Batting second after bundling England for 200, Bradman hit 304 in 473 balls with 43 fours and 2 sixes. He also added 288 runs for the 4th wicket alongside Bill Ponsford helping Australia to a score of 584.

Brian Lara

One of the greatest batters to play for West Indies, Brian Charles Lara is one of the four players who share the world record of scoring the most number of triple centuries in Test cricket. Lara scored his first triple hundred against England in 1994 hitting 45 boundaries in his knock of 375 in 538 deliveries to help West Indies declare on 593/5 in their first innings. The match was drawn and West Indies won the series at home by 3-1. A decade later, Lara found himself at the helm as West Indies captain and against the same opposition played one of the greatest knocks in Test history. Lara finished unbeaten scoring 400 runs in 582 balls with 43 fours and 4 sixes in the mammoth knock. It is the highest-ever score in Test cricket history and helped Lara join the elite company of Donald Bradman to become the only 2nd player to score multiple triple centuries.

Chris Gayle

Also known as the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle has hit two triple centuries in Test cricket as well. The first triple ton was scored in 2005. Opening the innings for West Indies in St John’s, Antigua after South Africa declared at 588/6, Gayle started in attacking fashion getting to his 50 in 34 balls, 100 in 96 balls and 150 in 149 balls. After moving past 200, Gayle slowed down a little and scored his 300th run off 462 balls finishing the innings with 317 off 483 balls hitting 37 fours and 3 sixes. 

His 2nd triple-century was hit against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2010. West Indies won the toss and batted first putting 580/9 on the board before declaring the innings. Gayle scored his career-best 333 in 437 balls with 34 fours and nine sixes becoming the fourth batter in the world to score 2 triple hundreds.

Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag has the most triple century in test cricket by an Indian. His first triple ton was scored against arch-rivals Pakistan in Multan during the series opener in 2004. While opening the first innings of the match, Sehwag added 336 runs with Sachin Tendulkar for the third wicket finishing at 309 off 375 deliveries with 39 fours and six sixes. He hit the 2nd triple century in Chennai batting against South Africa. The Proteas in their first innings posted 540 runs on the board but thanks to Sehwag’s 319 in only 304 balls, India got a first innings lead and the match finished in a draw. Sehwag scored the triple century in 278 balls thus scoring the fastest 300 runs in Test.

Matthew Hayden

The Australian opener made short work of the visiting Zimbabwe bowling attack in the first Test of the series in October 2003. At the WACA ground in Perth, Zimbabwe won the toss and decided to bowl first. Hayden smashed the bowling attack all over the park hitting 38 fours and 11 sixes in his knock of 380 off 437 balls taking Australia to 735/6 when captain Steve Waugh declared the innings.

Mahela Jayawardene

South Africa visited Sri Lanka in 2006 playing the first Test at Colombo. After getting bundled out for 169 in the first innings, the Proteas saw history unfold as the Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene scored his country’s highest individual total before being bowled by Andre Nel. 43 fours and a solitary six was included in Mahela’s scintillating 374 in 572 balls in which he shared a 624-run stand for the 3rd wicket with Kumar Sangakkara. Sri Lanka declared at 756/5 and won the Test by an innings and 153 runs.

Garry Sobers

The 21-year-old young left-handed batter announced himself to the big stage scoring his maiden Test ton, also the biggest individual score in Tests that time. Batting at number 3, Sobers hit 365 runs and added 446 runs for the 2nd wicket with opener Conrad Hunte. West Indies scored 790/3 before declaring winning the 3rd Test against Pakistan in 1958 at the famous Sabina Park in Kingston. Sobers finished unbeaten on 365, adding just one more run to the world record individual score held by Len Hutton.

Len Hutton

England’s 22-year-old opening batter Len Hutton created history playing against Australia in the 5th Test of the 1938 series scoring 364 runs in the team’s first innings. Hutton played 847 deliveries and hit 35 fours in his effort. The Australian wicketkeeper Ben Barnett had an opportunity to dismiss Hutton when the southpaw had scored 40 runs but missed the stumping which costed 324 runs for his team.

Sanath Jayasuriya

In the record-breaking Test match played at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo in 1997, Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya wreaked havoc against the Indian bowling attack notching the highest-ever Test score made by a Sri Lankan batter in Tests. Jayasuriya hit 340 runs in 578 balls with 36 fours and 2 sixes also adding 576 runs with Roshan Mahanama for the 2nd wicket. Sanath got to three figures in 138 balls, double hundred in 327 balls and crossed 300 off 518 balls before Rajesh Chauhan dismissed him on the 4th day of the drawn Test.

Hanif Mohammad

Pakistan’s opening batter Hanif Mohammad produced one of the greatest knocks in Test cricket history against a world-class West Indies lineup in 1958. West Indies batted first and declared for 579/9 before dismissing Pakistan for 106 and asking the visitors to follow on. Hanif with his mammoth innings turned the fortunes and scored 337 runs with 24 boundaries in the knock helping Pakistan to 657/8 and drawing the match. Hanif batted for 970 minutes which is still a world record for the longest individual innings in Tests.

Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag is the first Indian batter to score a triple century in Test cricket. He hit 309 runs against Pakistan at Multan in 2004. The knock had him nicknamed as the Sultan of Multan. Sehwag hit 309 in 375 balls and hit the renowned Pakistani bowling attack to all parts of the ground hitting 39 fours and 6 sixes.

Sehwag created history in 2008 versus South Africa scoring the fastest ever triple century in Test cricket. Batting under scoreboard pressure as the Proteas had scored 540 in the 1st innings, Sehwag batted at his aggressive best moving to 100 in 116 balls, 200 in 194 balls and then 300 off just 278 balls clubbing the South African bowlers for 42 fours and 5 sixes.