The Test format demands batters to have focus, resilience, and determination to accumulate loads of runs. Few batters have all these traits to convert their solid starts into triple digits.
Without a doubt, scoring centuries in the longest format is a watershed moment in a cricketer’s career. Furthermore, if the hundred helps their team win the match, then it becomes icing on the cake.
On that note, we’ll look at the top 10 batters who have scored the most Test centuries in winning causes.
Most Test Centuries in Winning Cause
| Player | 100s in Winning Cause | High Score |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 30 | 257 |
| Steve Waugh (AUS) | 25 | 200 |
| Don Bradman (AUS) | 23 | 299* |
| Matthew Hayden (AUS) | 23 | 380 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 22 | 224 |
| Steve Smith (AUS) | 21 | 239 |
| Kane Williamson (NZ) | 21 | 251 |
| Joe Root (ENG) | 20 | 254 |
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 20 | 248* |
| Kumar Sangakkara (SL) | 19 | 287 |
Key Insights
30: Australia’s former skipper Ricky Ponting holds the record for scoring the most centuries in winning causes in Tests. Punter’s 30 out of 41 centuries eventually helped his side end up on the winning side.
380: Matthew Hayden’s mighty knock of 380 is the highest individual score in a winning Test match. His extraordinary innings came against Zimbabwe in 2003, which helped Australia post their second-highest team total in the format — 735/6d.
18: Out of Ponting’s 23 home Test hundreds, 18 have resulted in a victory for Australia on their home soil. This is the most Test tons scored by a player while batting in home conditions that have led to a win.
13: On the other hand, it’s Steve Waugh who leads the pack with the most match-winning Test centuries in away matches. Out of his 16 away hundreds, 13 Test hundreds paved the way for Australia to clinch victory.
79.31: Don Bradman was the stalwart of the game, with a mind-blowing Test career average of 99.94. Moreover, he had the knack for taking his side over the ropes with his blistering hundreds. Out of his 29 Test centuries, 23 came in winning cause, which translates to 79.31 percent. This winning hundred percentage is the best among the batters with 20+ hundreds in victories.
