5 batters with most hundreds in Test cricket ft. Joe Root

England's star batter Joe Root completed an impressive hundred on Day 2 of the third Test against India at Lord's on Friday, July 11. Root anchored the innings on Day 1 after the hosts decided to bat first, going to stumps at 99* as England reached 251-4 in 83 overs.

The former England captain reached a well-deserved ton with the first ball of Day 2 at Lord's. The right-handed batter got an outside edge on a full and wide delivery from Jasprit Bumrah that flew wide of gully for a four. Root was understandably ecstatic, reaching his eighth Test hundred at Lord's.

The 34-year-old's fine knock ended on 104 when he inside edged another full delivery from Bumrah outside off back onto his stumps. His fine effort came off 199 balls and lasted 331 minutes, featuring 10 fours.

With his latest ton, Root (37) went past Rahul Dravid (36) and Steve Smith (36) to enter the top five list of batters with the most hundreds in Test cricket. Here's a look at the updated list following Root's century against India at Lord's on Friday.

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#5 Joe Root (37)

Root now finds himself in the fifth spot among batters with the most Test hundreds. He got to his 37th Test hundred in his 156th match. The seasoned batter has so far amassed 13,219 at an average of 50.84, with a best of 262, which was registered against Pakistan in Multan in October 2024.

Of Root's 37 Test tons, as many as 11 have come against India, six each against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies, four against Australia and two each against Pakistan and South Africa. The former England captain has registered 22 Test hundreds at home and 15 in away conditions.

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#4 Kumar Sangakkara (38)

Root needs two more tons to surpass Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara and move up to fourth place on the list of batters with the most Test hundreds. Sangakkara played 134 Test matches and scored 12,400 runs at an average of 57.40, with the aid of 38 hundreds and 52 half-centuries. Sangakkara's best of 319 came against Bangladesh in Chattogram in February 2014.

Of his southpaw's 38 Test tons, 10 came against Pakistan. Further, he scored seven hundreds against Bangladesh, five against India, four against New Zealand, three each against England, South Africa, and the West Indies, two against Zimbabwe, and one against Australia. The left-hander scored 22 hundreds at home, 14 away and two at neutral venues.

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#3 Ricky Ponting (41)

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is third on the list of batters with the most hundreds in Test cricket. He played 168 Test matches and amassed 13,378 runs at an average of 51.85, with 41 hundreds and 62 half-centuries. Ponting's best of 257 was registered against India in Melbourne in the 2003 Boxing Day Test.

Of the Aussie legend's 41 Test hundreds, eight each came against India, England and South Africa. Ponting also hit seven tons against the West Indies, five against Pakistan, two against the Kiwis, and one each against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The 'Punter' struck 23 hundreds at home, 16 away and two at neutral venues.

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#2 Jacques Kallis (45)

Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis occupies the No. 2 spot on the famed list of batters with the most Test hundreds. He played 166 Test matches and totaled 13,289 runs at an average of 55.37, with 45 hundreds and 58 half-centuries. The Proteas legend's best Test score of 224 came against Sri Lanka in Cape Town in January 2012.

Player	Tests	Runs	Average	HS	100s	50s
Sachin Tendulkar	200	15,921	53.78	248*	51	68
Jacques Kallis	166	13,289	55.37	224	45	58
Ricky Ponting	168	13,378	51.85	257	41	62
Kumar Sangakkara	134	12,400	57.40	319	38	52
Joe Root	156*	13,219	50.84	262	37	66

(Top 5 list of batters with the most Test hundreds. *Stats include ongoing England vs India 3rd Test at Lord's)

Of Kallis' 45 Test centuries, eight each came against England and the West Indies, seven against India, and six each against New Zealand and Pakistan. The former South African all-rounder also scored five tons against Australia, three against Zimbabwe and one each against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Kallis hit 23 hundreds at home, 20 away and two at neutral venues.

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#1 Sachin Tendulkar (51)

Indian batting genius Sachin Tendulkar remains the only cricketer with 50-plus Test hundreds. He played exactly 200 matches, amassing 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78, with 51 centuries and 68 half-centuries. Tendulkar's best of 248* came against Bangladesh in Dhaka in December 2004.

Of the Master Blaster's 51 Test hundreds, 11 came against Australia, nine against Sri Lanka and seven each against England and South Africa. Tendulkar also notched up five tons against Bangladesh, four against New Zealand, three each against West Indies and Zimbabwe and two against Pakistan. The former India captain scored 22 Test centuries at home and 29 in away conditions.