T20 International (T20I) cricket has become more batter-friendly, with flatter pitches and lighter bats. With conditions in their favour, batters take an aggressive approach, scoring runs at staggering strike rates.
Indian batters have also displayed their power-hitting in the shorter format. Some of them have smashed centuries in fewer balls, shattering records in T20Is.
Here we’ll look at the top 10 fastest centuries scored by Indian players in T20I cricket.
Rank | Player Name | Balls Faced | Opponent | Year | Match Details |
1 | Rohit Sharma | 35 | Sri Lanka | 2017 | Scored the fastest century by an Indian in Indore, showcasing effortless boundary hitting. |
2 | Sanju Samson | 40 | Bangladesh | 2024 | Delivered a sensational knock in Hyderabad, hitting consecutive boundaries and sixes. |
3 | Tilak Varma | 41 | South Africa | 2024 | Tilak Varma smashed an unbeaten 120 off 47 balls with 9 fours and 10 sixes |
4 | Suryakumar Yadav | 45 | Sri Lanka | 2023 | Demonstrated 360-degree batting, scoring 112 off 51 balls to lead India to 228 runs. |
5 | KL Rahul | 46 | West Indies | 2016 | Notched his first T20I century while chasing a target of 246 in Florida. |
6 | Abhishek Sharma | 46 | Zimbabwe | 2024 | Rebounded from a debut duck to score a century in the second match of the series. |
7 | Suryakumar Yadav | 48 | England | 2022 | Played a stunning 48-ball century while chasing 216 runs, though India fell short by 17 runs. |
8 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | 48 | Nepal | 2023 | Smashed a maiden T20I hundred in the 2023 Asian Games Quarter-Final against Nepal. |
9 | Suryakumar Yadav | 49 | New Zealand | 2022 | Delivered an aggressive innings, reaching his second T20I century with ease. |
10 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | 52 | Australia | 2023 | Scored his maiden T20I hundred in Guwahati, accelerating after the first 10 overs. |
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10. Ruturaj Gaikwad: 52 balls vs Australia, 2023
Ruturaj Gaikwad showed his batting mastery against Australia in Guwahati in November 2023. After being asked to bat first, India lost 2 wickets early.
But Ruturaj stood strong, taking his time before opening up his attack. He went into an aggressive mode after 10 overs, smashing boundaries all over the park.
Ruturaj brought up his maiden T20I hundred in 52 balls. His acceleration helped India post 222 runs on the board, but they lost the match by 5 wickets.
9. Suryakumar Yadav: 49 balls vs New Zealand, 2022
Suryakumar Yadav played a video game innings against New Zealand in 2022. Batting first, the 360-degree batter walked out to bat in the powerplay.
Surya didn’t waste too much time and got to work immediately. He took the Kiwi bowlers to the cleaners, smashing boundaries for fun.
Surya reached his second T20I century in 49 balls, leaving everyone stunned with his ferocious strokeplay.
8. Yashasvi Jaiswal: 48 balls vs Nepal, 2023
India’s young batting sensation, Yashasvi Jaiswal, showed his batting flair against Nepal. India were playing against Nepal in the Quarter-Final of the 2023 Asian Games.
Jaiswal opened the innings and carted out Nepal bowlers for fours and sixes with ease. In no time, the left-hander completed his maiden T20I hundred in 48 balls.
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7. Suryakumar Yadav: 48 balls vs England, 2022
Suryakumar Yadav features again in the list with his 48-ball ton against England in 2022. India were chasing a huge target of 216 runs, and they were 3 down in 5 overs.
That’s when Surya took up the mantle and took India close to victory. He displayed his pyrotechnics with the bat and left everyone stunned with his knock.
Surya completed his maiden T20I hundred in 48 balls. But his valiant effort went in vain as India lost the match by 17 runs.
6. Abhishek Sharma: 46 balls vs Zimbabwe, 2024
Abhishek Sharma had a crushing T20I debut, getting out on a duck. But in the next match, he blasted a century.
In the second match against Zimbabwe, India opted to bat first. Sharma straightaway went on a rampage mode, smashing boundaries across the ground.
The left-hander brought up his hundred off 46 balls, making it the fifth-fastest by an Indian in T20Is.
5. KL Rahul: 46 balls vs West Indies, 2016
KL Rahul raised his first T20I century in some style while chasing a mammoth target of 246 runs against the West Indies. Coming to bat at No. 4, Rahul showed his range on a flatter deck in Florida.
He found the boundary ropes with much finesse, racing away to his century in 46 balls. However, his whirlwind knock ended up on the losing side as India lost the match by a run.
4. Suryakumar Yadav: 45 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2023
Suryakumar Yadav makes his mark again, scoring 112 off 51 balls against Sri Lanka in 2023.
The aggressive batter came to bat at No. 4 and showed his 360-degree batting mastery. He made a mockery of the Sri Lankan bowling attack, thrashing them for boundaries.
Surya reached his fourth T20I hundred in 45 balls, propelling India’s total to 228, which they defended successfully.
3. Tilak Verma: 41 Balls vs South Afrika, 2024
Tilak Varma played an amazing innings in the 4th T20I match against South Africa, scoring an unbeaten 120 runs in just 47 balls. With a strike rate of 255.32, he smashed 9 fours and 10 sixes, showing incredible power-hitting skills. His brilliant performance helped India set a big total and showed how easily he could dominate the bowlers. Staying not out, Tilak proved his talent and composure, making him one of India’s most exciting T20 players.
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2. Sanju Samson: 40 balls vs Bangladesh, 2024
Sanju Samson brought out his best against Bangladesh in the third T20I match in Hyderabad. On the flatter Hyderabad surface, Samson displayed his effortless strokeplay against the hapless Bangladeshi bowling attack.
In the second over, he slammed 4 consecutive fours to Taskin Ahmed, followed by 5 back-to-back sixes to Rishad Hossain. Samson reached his hundred in just 40 balls, making it the second-fastest T20I century by an Indian batter.
He also became the first-ever Indian wicketkeeper-batter to reach triple-digit figures in the shortest format.
1. Rohit Sharma: 35 balls vs Sri Lanka, 2017
Rohit Sharma holds the record for smashing the fastest century in T20I cricket by an Indian batter. He achieved the feat against his favourite opponent Sri Lanka in Indore.
The opener was in absolute destroyer mode against the Lankan bowlers. He relied on his timing to deposit the ball into the stands.
Rohit raced away to his hundred off just 35 balls, which was the then joint-fastest T20I century.