Top 5 Active Cricketers With The Most Test Centuries In Fourth Innings
Jonny Bairstow & Joe Root (X.com)
No T20 or an ODI can match the thrill of the fourth innings of the Test match. We have had an amazing last two or three years when it comes to the longest format. The teams are looking out for results and the fans are witnessing some of the greatest Test matches. With the introduction of the World Test Championship, the teams are more concerned about the result which increases the thrill.
Well, in all of the thrilling Test matches, the magic happens in the fourth innings. Whether it's a bowling spell or an amazing hundred from a batter, this is what turns the game around in a Test match. Recently, we witnessed two greatest spells in the history of Test cricket, one in Brisbane and the other in Hyderabad. But there have been many occasions when the batters have stepped up and won games for their teams in the last innings.
At OneCricket, we have managed to find the active players with the most centuries in the fourth innings.
Let's have a look at the top 5 active players with the most centuries in the fourth innings of Test Matches.
Kane Williamson - 4
Kane Williamson (X.com)
One of the greatest batters in the modern era, Kane Williamson has been the limelight for the Kiwis during the last decade. With over 8000 runs in the longest format of the game, he has been an anchor for the Blackcaps and has led the team from the front. Not to forget, he helped the Kiwis win the first-ever ICC title in the form of the ICC World Test Championship.
With 96 Test matches under his belt, Williamson has hammered 29 centuries and four of them have come during the fourth innings. Two against Sri Lanka, one against Bangladesh and one against South Africa, all of these games were nothing short of a thrillers as Williamson went on to win for the Kiwis.
Ben Stokes - 3
Ben Stokes (X.com)
When it comes to chasing targets in Test cricket, Ben Stokes can be recognized as the most flourished batter in the cricket world. Whether it was Headingley or the Lord's, Stokes gave his 200% to take his team through. After becoming the captain, the southpaw has been excellent with leadership and with the bat as well, and the stats shows us why he is one of the best batters of his generation.
Very few can believe that Ben Stokes has only smashed 13 Test hundreds and out of these 13, three have come while chasing the total in the fourth innings. With over 6000 Test runs, Stokes has been immaculate and has given us amazing memories with his absolute batting mastery at the greatest level.
Jonny Bairstow - 2
Jonny Bairstow (X.com)
Ever since the England team have taken the route of Bazball in the longest format, Jonny Bairstow has been the standout player alongside Harry Brook. With nearly 6000 runs to his name, Bairstow has been nothing short of a match-winner for England lately.
He has hammered 12 international hundreds and two of them have come while batting in the fourth innings. One century came against New Zealand and the other came against India in the last Test where Bairstow smacked tons in both of the innings and was also adjudged the player of the match.
Virat Kohli - 2
Virat Kohli (X.com)
It is almost impossible to leave Virat Kohli out whenever there's a talk about batting records. With over 8000 Test runs and 29 hundred under his belt, he has been one of a kind for the Indian team in the last decade. Generally, the Tests in India do not last till the fourth innings but there have been two occasions when Virat smacked two hundreds while chasing.
The first one came in Wellington against New Zealand, where he went on to score 105 not out while chasing the target of 435 runs and helped India draw the game. The other one came while chasing the score of 364 runs in Adelaide and Virat instilled hope among the Indian fans with his 141-run knock but India fell short of 49 runs.
Joe Root - 2
Joe Root (X.com)
One of the fab fours of the modern generation, Joe Root for England is what Virat Kohli is for India and what Kane Williamson is for the Kiwis. With nearly 11,500 Test runs and 30 Test centuries, Root has been one phenomenal player for English cricket.
Out of these 30 tons, two of them have come while batting in the fourth innings, which clearly shows how great of a batter Root has been for England in the last decade. One came against India in the Birmingham Test where Jonny Bairstow made a partnership with him. The other one came in the Lord's test against New Zealand in 2022 where England where chasing 277.
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