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The game of cricket has an interesting dynamic. Despite being a team game, it is so often driven by individual brilliance. One of the key metrics in defining a successful batsman is the number of centuries scored by the individual.
This is all the more significant in Test cricket when first-innings scores quite often lay the foundation for the rest of the match. Over the years, successful teams have witnessed world-class batsmen churn out centuries with relative ease. A Test century is always special and it increases the credentials of a player.
We look at the top five century makers in the history of Test cricket.
5. Rahul Dravid
Indian cricket has always rotated around legendary batsmen and Rahul Dravid was perhaps the greatest servant of the game. With a watertight defense, truckloads of patience and the ability to wear down attacks, Dravid was the wall at number three for the side.
In a glorious career of 164 matches in Test cricket, the right-hander peeled off 36 centuries. Many of these centuries played a pivotal part in India going on to win the match. His Test career spanned over two decades, and he remains, arguably, the greatest number three to have played the game.
4. Kumar Sangakkara
The Sri Lankan left-hander started his career as a wicket-keeper batsman. However, he had his best years with the bat when he gave up the wicket-keeping gloves and became a specialist batsman for the side. Walking into bat after the loss of the first wicket, Kumar Sangakkara went to score 38 centuries in 134 matches.
Many of these centuries came in the final stretch of his career where Sri Lanka went on to dominate at home and also bag wins in England. Ever since his retirement, Sri Lanka have found it hard to find a replacement for Sangakkara and this is a testament to his class and pedigree in Test cricket.
3. Ricky Ponting
The right-hander from Tasmania started his career batting at number six. There were early signs that a young Ricky Ponting could go on to serve Australian cricket for a long time at the start of his career.
He was slowly bumped up the order and made the number three position his own for a good 10 to 12 years. A player who believed in counter-attacking, Ponting was the perfect batsman to follow the likes of Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer.
In a career that spanned 168 matches, Ponting scored 41 centuries. A majority of those centuries were responsible for Australia's dominance in Test cricket for over a decade.
2. Jacques Kallis
Rated as the best all-rounder to have ever played the game, Jacques Kallis was the complete package for South Africa. He shouldered the responsibility in the middle-order and was a rock for the side for over 20 years.
In 166 matches, Kallis scored 45 centuries at an average of 55.37, which speaks volumes about his ability with the bat. South Africa have struggled to find a replacement for an all-around like Kallis since he stepped away from the game.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Leading the pack is, arguably, the greatest batsman to have ever played the game. India's Sachin Tendulkar is regarded as the complete player - in 200 matches, he scored 51 Test centuries and was a dominant force across all conditions.
Tendulkar's average stood at 53.78 when he walked away from the game after 25 glorious years. It will be interesting to see if any player ever breaches this remarkable statistic.
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