Achieving a milestone of 500 international games is a rarity but it also connotes a great career achievement that only the legends could think about. But what really differentiates the icons from the rest is the way they let the matches count.
Every one of the legends has rewritten cricket history in their own unique style from Sachin Tendulkar’s unmatched consistency to Virat Kohli’s hunger for the perfect game.
Let’s check out the top five century makers after 500 international games, their amazing figures, and their uniqueness.
Most Centuries After 500 International Matches in Cricket
5. Rohit Sharma – 49 Centuries
The former Indian captain Rohit Sharma played his 500th international game against Australia in Perth. The “Hitman” has made 49 centuries and has crossed 19,500 runs in all formats.
Rohit’s ability to time the ball and his powerful hitting of sixes, along with the turning of his starts into big scores—inclusively, 3 ODI double centuries—are traits of a player who comes once in a generation.
4. Jacques Kallis – 60 Centuries
Jacques Kallis, the most versatile all-rounder ever to play, was a run-creating machine as well. Would his 60 centuries and more than 25,500 runs be enough to get him a place in any all-time XI? The answer is, “Not at all.”
Kallis also picked up 577 international wickets along the way, thus making him one of the most “complete” cricketers to have ever walked the earth. Calm, controlled, and regular, Kallis did not have bad days and his regularity turned South Africa into an unbeatable team during the 2000s.
3. Ricky Ponting – 68 Centuries
Ricky Ponting was one of the best Molesters of Opponents’ bowlers in cricket history. The retired Australian captain combined in a unique mixture the qualities of an aggressor, a classy batsman, and a leader. Ponting scored 68 centuries and more than 27,400 runs in all formats, thus assisting Australia in winning several World Cups.
The combination of Ponting’s pull-shots, smart captaincy, and sheer winning instinct made him an incredibly tough opponent for bowlers worldwide. Even at this time, Ponting’s aura as one of cricket’s most fierce competitors is still the same.
2. Sachin Tendulkar – 75 centuries
The mention of Sachin Tendulkar still gives goosebumps to millions of fans. The “God of Cricket” has been the unparalleled holder of the highest number of centuries in international cricket, and rightly so. Tendulkar, during his astonishingly long 24-year career, scored 34,357 runs with 100 tons in total, but even after playing 500 matches, he had already reached the milestone of 75 tons.
His mastery of technique, serene temperament in tense situations, and power to score against any opponent made him the gold standard for measuring greatness. For many fans, Tendulkar is not only a cricketer but also an emotion.
1. Virat Kohli – 76 centuries
Present-day chase master Virat Kohli has transformed the method of making runs into pure science. Kohli, with 76 international hundreds (at his 500th match), has already gone past legends like Ponting and is very close to Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record.
For over a decade now, Kohli has been the ruler of the cricket world thanks to his phenomenal fitness, unwavering consistency, and strong mental toughness. Be it a challenging chase in an ODI, a determined innings in Tests, or a spectacular T20 performance, Virat Kohli has been the most reliable and has contributed whenever it has been asked for.
His total of over 26,800 runs outside India is impressive and when taking into account that there is still a lot of cricket left in him, it is safe to say this number will only be growing.
