Top 5 fastest Indian centuries in T20Is ft. Rohit Sharma
The introduction of T20 cricket has significantly changed the way the game is played. It should be fair to say that the game has tilted more in favour of the batters now, with pitches becoming more and more batting-friendly. The bowlers have a little room for errors, and T20 cricket demands them to constantly develop more variations to stay effective. The batters wreak havoc with the bat these days, especially in T20 cricket, where pitches are quite flat with little help for the bowlers.
Since Chris Gayle smashed the first century in T20I cricket in the T20 World Cup, there have been a plethora of international cricketers who have hit centuries in T20 internationals. The Indian batters aren’t too behind, either. However, scoring a century isn’t enough, as it has become vital to accomplish the feat in as few deliveries as possible. Tim David recently made headlines after scoring the fastest T20 international century by an Australian batter in the third T20 international, reaching the feat in just 37 balls.
Estonia batter Sahil Chauhan holds the record for hitting the fastest ever T20 international century in world cricket. He reached his ton in just 27 balls and went on to play a brilliant 144-run knock off just 41 balls against Cyprus.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the five fastest Indian batters to score a T20 international century:
1. Rohit Sharma - 35 balls
One of the greatest batters ever to play for India, Rohit Sharma holds the record for hitting the fastest century in T20 internationals by an Indian batter. Sri Lanka is one of his favourite oppositions in white-ball cricket. In the second T20I against the Island Nation in 2017, Rohit Sharma smashed as many as 10 sixes en-route to an outstanding knock of 118 off 43 balls. He brought up his hundred in just 35 balls, thereby becoming the joint fastest in T20Is. Courtesy of his sensational innings, India posted a gigantic 260-run total and won the game by a big 88-run margin.
2. Abhishek Sharma - 37 balls
Abhishek Sharma tore apart England’s bowling attack left, right, and center in a breathtaking knock of 135 off just 54 balls in the fifth T20I of the five-match series in February this year. He brought up his half-century in just 17 balls and continued his fireworks. The southpaw didn't spare anyone who came his way and went on to score a sensational ton in just 37 balls. His 135-run knock was laced with seven fours and 13 sixes.
3. Sanju Samson - 40 balls
In the last 12 months, Sanju Samson has been given a consistent rope in India's T20I team, and he has made the most of it. Samson has played some fantastic knocks for India in T20 internationals, and his 111-run knock off 47 balls played against Bangladesh in 2024 is one of them. Opening the batting for the side, he lost his partner Abhishek Sharma early, but that didn’t stop Samson and Suryakumar Yadav from unleashing their wrath onto the Bangladeshi bowlers.
Samson and Suryakumar Yadav put on a 173-run stand for the second wicket partnership, powering the team to a mammoth 297 in 20 overs. Sanju Samson showcased his clean striking on the big stage, reaching the ton in just 40 balls. He is currently the third fastest Indian batter to score a T20I century.
4. Tilak Varma - 41 balls
In the fourth T20I of the five-match series against South Africa in November last year, India posted their highest T20I total in South Africa, courtesy of a record-breaking second-wicket partnership between Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma. The duo tore apart South Africa’s bowling attack and smashed their respective centuries. Tilak Varma smashed the fourth-fastest T20I century, reaching the landmark in just 41 balls. He went on to play a stellar knock of 120 runs in 47 balls, including nine fours and 10 sixes.
5. Suryakumar Yadav - 45 balls
Arguably the best T20I batter in the world right now, Suryakumar Yadav is currently the fifth fastest Indian to have scored a century in T20 internationals. Batting first, India posted a formidable total of 228, headlined by Suryakumar’s masterclass knock of 112 off just 51 balls. His knock showcased the variety of strokes he has in his arsenal, from inside-out drives over extra cover to ramps over short fine leg. He smashed the ton in just 45 balls. India won that game by 135 runs.
