Cricket is a sport where sometimes an outstanding performance by a player can flip the game around. In the case of India, Test centuries of victorious players have been a hallmark of great players standing tall when it is most needed.
Not long ago, two young players, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, have come into the limelight, scoring 7 and 6 tons respectively in victorious matches.
Now, let us delve into the most prolific Indian Test players in terms of centuries scored in winning matches.
Most Test 100s in Winning Cause for Team India
5. Rohit Sharma – 12 centuries
Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma is securely positioned at the 5th spot in the rankings with 12 centuries scored in matches won. At a batting average of 57.40, he scored a total of 2985 Test runs for his team with nine fifties.
Even during his captaincy, Rohit was able to score 1254 runs over 24 Tests with a 30.58 average. His grace, power-hitting, and combined skills made Rohit a versatile match-winner among the players in the whites.
4. Cheteshwar Pujara – 13 centuries
India’s modern-day wall, Cheteshwar Pujara, was the solid workhorse of the Test arena. Pujara, with 13 centuries in winning matches, is the classic example of patience and grit.
He hit 4408 runs in winning cause with a 50.66 average and 23 fifties. From grinding out long innings on difficult pitches, especially in overseas conditions, Pujara’s performances have often turned close games into wins.
3. Virat Kohli – 14 centuries
The modern-day legend, Virat Kohli, has hit 14 centuries in Test matches won by India. As skipper, he collected runs at the enormous rate of 5864, while 4746 runs also came in for winning cause with a 47.27 average and 16 fifties.
Kohli managed to handle the pressure really well and he would often drag India out of the tightest corner due to his master’s touch on the wicket. Not only did he dominate the game with his personal statistics, but also in the matches won by his centuries over the years, and this is the main reason why he is always a decisive player of the team; he is there, inspiring others and single-handedly turning the flow of the game with his match-winning innings.
2. Rahul Dravid – 15 centuries
Rahul Dravid, India’s original ‘Wall’, is second after Kohli in this list with 15 Test centuries in winning causes. His career total in runs scored in winning matches was 5131 with a 65.78 average and 23 half-centuries.
Dravid’s way of quietly scoring match-winning runs actually helped his team to victory. The opposing bowlers got worn out and eventually succumbed to defeat. A great many of his centuries were scored in tough times, which is a clear indicator of both skill and remarkable determination as well as mental energy.
1. Sachin Tendulkar – 20 centuries
When we talk about Sachin Tendulkar, there is really no need to say more about him. The ‘God of cricket‘ has crowned the list with 20 Test centuries in winning causes. He overall accumulated 5946 runs in Test matches that India won with a 61.93 average and 24 fifties. His highest Test score was 248* during this period.
He continued to score centuries that were more than just fortifications in India’s favour whether it was along with the target given by the opponents or during setting of the target. Tendulkar’s innings were a blend of skills, great temperament, and unshakeable patience that made him a giant amongst the Indian cricket players for over two decades.
