What is a Century in Cricket? The Milestone Every Batter Dreams Of

The Tradition of Raising the Bat

When the scoreboard turns to 100, almost every batter follows the same quiet habit. The helmet comes off, the bat goes up, and the player looks toward the stands. It isn’t a loud celebration. It’s more of a thank you. The moment belongs as much to the crowd and teammates as it does to the batter.

You can see the same gesture in old black and white photos and in modern stadiums with giant screens. Some players add small personal touches, but the meaning stays unchanged. That brief pause connects today’s game with cricket played decades ago.

The Psychology of the "Nervous Nineties"

Batting in the nineties feels different from any other phase. Runs from 90 to 99 bring tension that doesn’t appear earlier in an innings. Bowlers sense that the batter wants the milestone, and fielders close in. Every ball feels heavier than the last.

Some batters slow down too much and lose rhythm. Others try to finish the job quickly and pick the wrong moment. Many famous innings ended in this range. Once the score finally ticks past 99, you can often see relief straight away. Shoulders relax, shots open up, and the pressure lifts.

What is a Maiden Century?

A maiden century is the first international hundred of a batter’s career. That innings often changes everything. Selection feels more secure, teammates trust the player more, and confidence grows quickly.

Many cricketers say their first hundred stays with them longer than any other. It proves that they can handle top-level bowling and big moments. From that point on, the batter no longer feels like a newcomer.

Double and Triple Centuries

Reaching 200 runs requires exceptional focus and stamina. Batters must adapt across sessions, respond to fresh bowlers, and maintain concentration. Triple centuries demand even more. Only a few players in history have achieved them, and each such innings becomes part of cricket folklore.

Brian Lara’s 400 not out remains the highest individual Test score. That innings combined patience, authority, and complete control over bowlers and conditions.

Discussions around double centuries in cricket often focus on endurance and dominance. These scores highlight players who can stay at the crease long after others fade.

The Concept of a "Daddy Hundred"

A daddy hundred refers to a score far beyond the basic hundred, usually above 150. Such innings show command rather than survival. Bowlers tire, captains spread fields, and pressure shifts firmly toward the opposition.

Teams benefit greatly from these efforts. Partners play with confidence, declarations become possible, and match outcomes often tilt heavily toward the batting side.

Sachin Tendulkar: The God of Cricket

Sachin Tendulkar stands alone when it comes to centuries. He remains the only player in history to score 100 international hundreds across Test and One Day International cricket. That number reflects longevity, adaptability, and unmatched consistency. Tendulkar faced fast bowlers in the 1990s, dominant spinners in the 2000s, and new formats later in his career, all without losing control of his technique.

His hundreds came in every major cricket nation and on every type of surface. Swinging conditions in England, turning pitches in India, fast tracks in Australia, and slow wickets in the subcontinent never stopped him. Tendulkar adjusted stance, footwork, and shot selection rather than forcing one method everywhere.

Beyond statistics, many of his centuries arrived when his team needed stability. He often walked in early after a collapse and rebuilt innings from scratch. In chases, he carried responsibility without rushing. Those hundreds became a benchmark for run scoring and a reference point for discussions around who is the highest century in cricket, since no other batter has reached a similar total across formats.

Virat Kohli: The Modern Chase Master

Virat Kohli represents a different generation, but his hunger for centuries mirrors Tendulkar’s intensity. Kohli built his reputation as one of the best chase batters cricket has seen. Target-based situations suit his mindset, and his awareness of required run rates helps him pace innings with precision.

One reason Kohli scores so many hundreds lies in his conversion ability. When he reaches fifty, he rarely settles for that mark. His discipline keeps risk low in early phases, while confidence grows as the innings progress. That balance explains his high conversion rate from half-centuries to hundreds.

Kohli also thrives in One Day Internationals, where he controls tempo better than most. Running between the wickets adds constant pressure, and bowlers struggle to contain him once he settles. Fitness plays a major role in his success, since long innings demand physical strength as much as technique. His pursuit of Tendulkar’s record keeps attention on modern batting standards and shows how consistency still defines greatness.

Format Leaders: Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle

Limited-overs cricket produces its own century specialists, and Rohit Sharma stands at the top in One Day Internationals. He holds multiple double hundreds in ODIs, a rare achievement that highlights patience combined with acceleration. Rohit often starts calmly, preserves his wicket, and expands his range once set. That approach allows him to reach massive scores without reckless shot selection.

His timing, rather than power, defines his big innings. Once settled, bowlers find it difficult to adjust lengths, and fielding sides struggle to contain scoring across all areas. Those long ODI hundreds underline his comfort during extended stays at the crease.

Chris Gayle, on the other hand, changed how centuries appear in the shortest format. T20 cricket offers limited deliveries, which makes reaching a hundred extremely difficult. Gayle overcame that barrier through confidence, strength, and clean hitting. His T20 centuries arrived quickly and often dominated matches before opponents could recover.

Gayle’s presence alone altered bowling plans. Captains moved fielders early, bowlers missed lengths under pressure, and matches shifted rapidly. His dominance in T20 centuries proved that even time-restricted formats can produce monumental individual scores when timing and intent align.

Together, these players show that centuries take different forms across formats. Some rely on patience and accumulation, others on controlled aggression. All of them, however, share the same ability to turn long stays at the crease into defining moments that shape cricket history.

AB de Villiers' 31-Ball Miracle (ODI)

AB de Villiers produced one of the most astonishing innings the sport has seen when he scored a hundred in just 31 balls in a One Day International against the West Indies. From the first few deliveries, it became clear that containment would not work. He found gaps with ease, used unconventional shots without forcing them, and punished even slight errors in length.

What set this innings apart was balance. De Villiers did not rely only on power. Placement, timing, and awareness allowed him to score all around the field. Fielders shifted constantly, but the scoring never slowed. That hundred reset expectations for how quickly runs could arrive in the ODI format and remains a reference point whenever explosive batting gets discussed.

Chris Gayle and Brendan McCullum (T20 and Test)

Chris Gayle reached a century in just 30 balls during a T20 match. In a format with limited deliveries, such a score demands constant intent from the opening ball. Gayle trusted his timing, stayed balanced, and forced bowlers into defensive plans early. The innings showed that even short formats can produce landmark scores.

Brendon McCullum achieved something just as striking in Test cricket. During his final international appearance, he reached a hundred in 54 balls. In the longest format, where patience usually defines success, that approach stood out sharply. McCullum attacked from the start and turned his farewell innings into a bold statement.

Fastest Centuries Across Formats

These innings prove that centuries do not follow one path. Some grow through patience, others through constant scoring. In each case, speed reshaped the match and left a lasting mark on cricket history.

To Score a Century Market

The To Score a Century market centers on one clear outcome. You bet on a specific batter reaching 100 runs in a match. Odds usually stay high because centuries remain difficult to achieve, even for top players. Openers often receive lower prices since they face more deliveries, while middle order batters carry a higher risk due to limited time at the crease. Match format also matters, since longer games give more opportunity to build an innings.

Over/Under Player Runs

Another common option focuses on individual run totals. Bookmakers set a line that the batter must exceed or stay below. These lines often fall between 30 and 50 runs, reflecting a typical contribution rather than a major milestone. To target a hundred, you need to look for special milestone markets rather than standard totals. Understanding a player’s role, recent form, and batting position helps when comparing these options and assessing potential value.