10 times a batsman scored two centuries in a Test but still ended up on the losing side

Every batsman dreams of scoring a Test hundred and scoring two hundreds in a Test is a special achievement. However, not every time does that player get to be on the winning side. There have been 83 occasions when a batsman has scored two centuries in a Test but out of those 10 have ended up on the losing side.

Hence, let’s take a look at 10 batsmen who have scored twin centuries in a Test match but still ended on the losing side.

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#10 Herbert Scutlife (1925)

Herbert Scutlife is one of those rare batsmen who averaged in excess of 60 in Test cricket. He is one of the greatest openers England have ever produced.

The right-handed batsman who represented Yorkshire in County cricket has scored twin hundreds on two occasions. The first of his twin centuries came in 1925 against Australia and the second came against South Africa in 1929.

Against Australia, England had lost the first Test of the 1924/25 Ashes. Herbert Scutlife had scored a ton (115) in the second innings of the first Test. In the second Test, Australia racked up 600 in the first innings and Scutlife scored a superb 176 to help England get to 479 in their first innings. Chasing 372 in the fourth innings, the Yorkshire batsman was once again up to the task as he scored 127 to raise the hopes of an unlikely England win. However, after his dismissal, England were bowled out for 290 and lost the game by 81 runs.

#9 George Headley (1939)

George Headley was also known as the 'Black Bradman'.

Having lost most of his prime years to the World War II, George Headley played only 22 Tests but still averaged 60.83. Known as the ‘Black Bradman’, George Headley had announced himself in world cricket with a superb match-saving 176 (on debut) against England in 1930.

In just his third Test match, Headley struck twin centuries in Georgetown, Guyana which helped West Indies level the series 1-1. Nine years later, he tormented England again. He scored 106 and 107 at Lord’s in the first Test of the series in 1939. In the first innings, the Panama-born right-hander made 106 helping the visitors reach 277. In the second essay, Windies were trailing by 127 runs and he scored a brilliant 107 out of the 225 the Windies scored.

However, this performance wasn’t enough as Windies lost by 8 wickets. But Headley became the first batsman to score twin hundreds at Lord’s.

#8 Vijay Hazare (1948)

Vijay Hazare was the fifth centurion for India in Test cricket.

When India won their first-ever ever Test match in 1952, Vijay Hazare was the captain. He played a vital role in the Indian cricket team in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Vijay Hazare made his debut against England at Lord’s in 1946. But he didn’t have the best of starts to his international career as he failed to get past the 50-run mark in his first six Tests (12 innings). His highest score was 44 in his first 12 innings. But the knock against Australia in Adelaide in 1948 completely turned his career.

He became the first Indian batsman to score twin centuries in a Test match. India were 2-0 down after the first three Tests and Australia had racked up 674 in the first innings of the fourth Test. In reply, Vijay Hazare led India’s charge as he struck his maiden ton (116) to help India get to 381 in their first innings.

Following on, Hazare once again showed superb temperament as he made 145 in the second innings. However, India lost by an innings and 16 runs to hand Australia a 3-0 lead in the 5-match series.

#7 Clyde Walcott (1955)

Clyde Walcott made his debut in 1948.

Clyde Walcott was one of the fiercest strikers of a cricket ball. Having made his debut in January 1948, Walcott scored his maiden ton in November in the same year against India in Delhi. In his 30th Test match, he scored centuries in both innings to help West Indies draw the game against Australia (2nd Test of the series) in Port-of-Spain in April 1955.

In the 5th Test of the same series, Walcott once again scored twin centuries but this time it went in vain. Batting first, the Barbados wicketkeeper-batsman scored 155 and helped Windies post 357 in the first innings. Australia then scored a mammoth 758. Trailing by 401 runs, none of the Windies batsmen barring Sir Garry Sobers and Clyde Walcott could stand tall. Walcott scored his second ton of the game but West Indies crumbled to an innings defeat.

#6 Sunil Gavaskar (1978)

Sunil Gavaskar scored 34 Test centuries.

Sunil Gavaskar was one of the greatest openers the game has ever seen. He was the first man to reach the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket. He scored 10,122 runs in 125 Test matches at an average of 51.12.

Sunil Gavaskar’s first four innings in international cricket were 65, 67 not out, 116 and 64 not out. And in his 4th Test, he scored twin centuries (124 and 220) to help India save the game and the series. In 1978, India were already 1-0 in the 3-match series before the 3rd Test.

In the 3rd Test, India won the toss and batted first. However, India couldn’t make the best of it as they folded up for 344. Sunil Gavaskar scored 111, his 14th Test ton. Pakistan replied with 481 and took a 137-run lead. Gavaskar was once again the lone star of the Indian batting as he scored a valiant 137 in the second innings. India scored 300 and set Pakistan a target of 164 which was chased easily.

#5 Andy Flower (2001)

Andy Flower was an excellent player of spin.

Andy Flower was arguably one of the best batsmen Zimbabwe have ever produced. He played 63 Tests and amassed 4794 runs at an average of 51.55.

Four years after his brother Grant Flower scored twin centuries in a Test match against New Zealand, Andy Flower replicated his brother’s feat against South Africa.

South Africa had racked up 600 runs in the first innings. In reply, Andy Flower fought a lone battle as he scored 142 as Zimbabwe could only manage 286. Following on, the elder Flower brother bettered his first innings score. He was left stranded on 199 as the other Zimbabwe batsmen couldn’t handle the South African bowling attack. However, Andy’s effort helped Zimbabwe avoid an innings defeat as they set a target of 78 which was hunted down by the Proteas with 9 wickets to spare.

#4 Brian Lara (2001)

Brian Lara scored almost 12,00 Test runs.

Brian Lara will forever be remembered for the highest individual score in Test cricket history. The unbeaten 400 he scored against England didn’t result in a win for West Indies but that was a magical innings.

But three years before this knock of 400, Lara produced a couple of special innings in a Test match in Sri Lanka. After losing the first two Tests, West Indies were looking to avoid a whitewash. After opting to bat first, West Indies were in early trouble at 17/2. At that moment, Brian Lara walked out to bat at No. 4 and changed the course of the innings. He scored a brilliant 221 to help Windies post a competitive total of 390 in the first innings.

Sri Lanka scored a mammoth 627 in reply. Trailing by 247 runs, Windies crumbled under pressure, but Brian Lara stood tall. He scored a fighting 130 as he helped West Indies avoid an innings defeat.

#3 Andrew Strauss (2008)

Andrew Strauss scored twin centuries in Chennai to put England in a dominant position.

Andrew Strauss was one of the many South African-born players to Test cricket play for England. He made his Test debut in 2004 against New Zealand and struck 112 and 83 on debut. He further went on to become one of the most successful England captains.

The 2008 India-England Test match that was played in Chennai will be remembered for India’s epic run chase of 387 in the fourth innings. But very few people remember Andrew Strauss got centuries in both innings in that game.

In the first innings, Strauss scored 123 to help England post 316 batting first. In reply, India were bowled out for 241. With a lead of 75 runs, England clearly had the upper hand. And Strauss consolidated England’s position of strength with another ton (108). England declared on 311/9 setting India a target of 387. India chased the target down and took a 1-0 lead in the 2-match Test series.

#2 Hashim Amla (2010)

Hashim Amla was superb in the 2010 series in India.

Hashim Amla is probably one of the most elegant and calm batsmen in the modern era. In 115 Test matches he has played for South Africa, he has amassed 8877 runs at an average of 48.51. He also has 28 Test hundreds.

In 2010, he started the year with a 95 and 75 against England at home. But when South Africa toured India, he came into his own. He scored a brilliant match-winning 253 in Nagpur in the first Test.

In the second Test, South Africa looked to clinch the series in Kolkata. Batting first, the Proteas could only post 296 in their first innings. Hashim Amla continued his sublime form and top-scored with 114 to give South Africa a respectable total.

India, in reply, scored 643 as four batsmen (Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni) struck tons. Trailing by 357 runs, Amla took the game deep as he raised hopes of South Africa pulling off an unlikely draw. He batted for almost 500 minutes and scored an unbeaten 123. However, no batsmen gave him support at the other end as the Proteas lost the game in the penultimate over of the day.

Amla’s twin centuries went in vain as India levelled the series 1-1 and retained the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket.

#1 Virat Kohli (2014)

The 2014-15 Australia tour completely transformed Virat Kohli as a batsman.

Virat Kohli is probably one of the modern day greats. He is currently the only player to have an average in excess of 50 in all three formats.

In 2014 after a horror show in England where he scored 134 runs in 10 innings, Kohli led the team in the first Test in Australia in the absence of MS Dhoni. Batting first, on the back of hundreds from David Warner, Michael Clarke and Steve Smith, Australia scored 517 in the first innings.

Chasing the first innings total in excess of 500, Virat Kohli led India’s charge with a superb 115. With fifties from 3 other top-order batsmen, India reached 444 in their first innings. In the second innings, Warner scored his second ton of the game and helped Australia set India a target of 364.

With 98 overs to bat on the final day, Virat Kohli went after the target. In the process, he made a magnificent 141. However, his efforts were not enough as they fell short by 48 runs.