5 youngest batsmen to score 10 centuries in Tests

The three primary facets of cricket - batting, bowling and fielding - are nearly equivalent in terms of their importance. However, it is the batsmen who tend to earn more plaudits for their efforts compared to bowlers or fielders. The history of the sport has seen many fine batsmen but a few among them towered above the rest.

Most of these batting legends were pretty young when they showed signs of achieving greatness in the years to follow. They did this by surpassing milestones at a quick pace and setting up a few of their own as well. One such feat is that of scoring their 10 Test centuries at a very early age.

Let's take a look at 5 youngest batsmen to reach 10 centuries in Tests:

5. Garry Sobers - 24 years, 134 days

Garfield St Aubrun Sobers is perhaps the biggest name to have emerged out of West Indian cricket ever since they started playing the game. A legendary cricketer in every regard, Sobers played 93 Tests during his illustrious career. The southpaw had a tally of over 8000 runs which he scored at a terrific average of 57.78.

The iconic batsman also had 26 centuries and a top score of 365 not out, which used to be a world record until his countryman Brian Lara broke it. Sobers made his debut as a 17-year old and went on to become one of the youngest batsmen to score 10 Test tons. He reached this feat in a Test against Australia at Brisbane in 1960.

Garry Sobers' age at the time was 24 years and 134 days which makes him the fifth name on this list.

4. Neil Harvey - 24 years, 122 days

Neil Harvey is an iconic figure of Australian cricket

Former Australian great Neil Harvey is one of the finest left-handed batsmen to have represented his country in Test cricket. Harvey played 79 Tests in a career which spanned 15 years and managed to score more than 6000 runs at an average of over 48. This included 21 hundreds and 24 half-centuries.

Having made his debut for Australia at the age of 19, Neil Harvey achieved the milestone of scoring 10 centuries in his 24th Test. It was the final game of a 5-match series against South Africa and the Aussie batsman hit 205 in the first innings. At 24 years and 122 days, Harvey became the 2nd youngest batsman at the time to clinch this feat.

3. Graeme Smith - 24 years, 80 days

Apart from being a great captain, Smith is also one of South Africa's best ever batsmen

Graeme Smith is not only one of the finest captains of the modern era but is also among the best South African batsmen of all time. A 21-year old Smith started his career as a prolific opening batsman and was quick to be handed the Proteas Test captaincy reins. He played 117 Tests and racked up 9265 runs at an impressive average of 48.25.

The left-handed batsman hit 27 centuries in his career with a highest score of 277. After scoring 104 in a Test against West Indies at Barbados in 2005, Graeme Smith became the third youngest batsman in history to score 10 centuries. The South African cricketer's age was 24 years and 80 days at the time.

2. Donald Bradman - 23 years, 114 days

Bradman is regarded as the greatest batsman to have played the game

Arguably the greatest cricketer to have ever graced the game, Donald George Bradman played 52 Tests for Australia in a career which lasted almost 20 years. Bradman scored close to 7000 runs and had an enviable average of 99.94, one which has not been matched by any other batsman and is a record that may remain forever.

In just 80 innings, the Aussie legend managed to hit a phenomenal 29 centuries, many of them being double tons and triple tons, too. When he hammered 112 against South Africa at Sydney in only his 16th Test, Bradman became the then youngest batsman to get 10 centuries under his belt at an age of 23 years and 114 days.

1. Sachin Tendulkar - 23 years, 71 days

Sachin Tendulkar en route to his 10^th Test century in a match against England

Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar is often looked at as cricket's modern-day equivalent of Donald Bradman. There is hardly any major batting record in the game that Tendulkar does not hold and most of them are likely to stay with him for a long time. In a career which saw him play 200 Tests, the icon amassed almost 16,000 runs.

Sachin hit 51 out of his magical 100 international centuries in Test cricket, including a top score of 248 not out. On India's tour to England in 1996, the Mumbai-born cricketer made an addition to his tally of records when a 177 in the 3rd Test made him the youngest batsman to reach 10 centuries in Tests.

Sachin Tendulkar was aged 23 years and 71 days when he eclipsed the record that Bradman had held for nearly 65 years.