Batsmen with most triple hundreds in Test matches

Scoring hundred is a great a feat in Test matches. Sachin Tendulkar with 51 centuries tops the list with most Test hundreds. It requires immense concentration and application to convert a hundred into big hundreds and double hundreds. Sir Donald Bradman with 12 double hundreds tops the list of most double hundreds in Test matches. Sangakkara with 11 double hundreds is on the second spot.

There have been occasions when batsmen have been able to convert the double hundreds in triple hundreds. On 30 occasions, batsmen have crossed the 300 run mark in a Test inning. Karun Nair from India and Azhar Ali from Pakistan are the latest players to join the club. Nair scored 303* against England in Chennai in 2016 and Azhar Ali scored 302* against West Indies in Dubai in 2016.

Legendary cricketers have not been able to achieve this feat. From the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis who were among the best batsmen of the last decade are eluded of this feat. Many players like Viv Richards, Alastair Cook, Martin Crowe came very close to scoring one. C

rowe was unlucky as he was dismissed on 299 against Sri Lanka in 1991. Viv Richards and Ram Naresh Sarwan were dismissed on 291 against England in 1976 and 2009 respectively. Alastair Cook missed the triple hundred when he was dismissed on 294 against India in 2011. Ross Taylor missed it in 2015 against in 2015 when he got out on the score of 290. Many other players scored between 270-290 and missed their chances to score a triple hundred.

There have been 26 players who have scored more than 300 in a Test inning. 22 players have scored a triple hundred only once. The list of players who have scored triple hundred in Test matches includes names of some of the best batsmen from the likes of Don Bradman, Kumar Sangakkara, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene and many more. Some players who have been known for playing attacking cricket also have scored a triple century, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chris Gayle, Virender Sehwag, Mathew Hayden, and Bredon McCullum are few of those in the list.

4 players have scored more than 300 in a Test inning twice. No player has been able to score 3 triple hundreds in Test matches. Let us look at the players who have scored two triple hundreds in Test matches.

#1 Don Bradman

Don Bradman is one of the best Test batsmen in cricket history. His records speak about the kind of player he was. He had a knack of scoring big hundreds. He still holds the record of most double hundreds in Test matches. He crossed the 200 run mark 12 times and out of them twice he went on to cross the 300 run mark.

In 1930, in the third test of the tour of England in Leeds in the first innings, Bradman played one of his finest knocks. He scored 334 from just 448 balls at a strike rate close to 75. His knock included 46 fours. After the first days play he was batting on 309* which is a record in itself. He became the second batsmen after Andy Sandham to score a triple hundred in Test matches.

Four years later in the same ground, after England's poor show in the first innings, getting bowled out for 200, Australia lost three early wickets. Bradman along with Bill Ponsford built a partnership of close to 400 runs. Ponsford got out on 181 and Bradman carried on to score his second triple hundred. He got out on the score of 304 when Bill Bowes got clean bowled him. His knock included 43 fours and 3 sixes.

Bradman was the first man to score two triple hundreds.

#2 Virender Sehwag

Popularly knock as the Nawab of Nazafgarh, Virender Sehwag was a brilliant opener of India in Test matches. He averaged close to 50 in Test matches which is impressive for an opener.

India's tour of Pakistan of 2004 was an enthralling series. India defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the Test series. In the first match of the series in Multan, India won the toss and elected to bat first. Sehwag started in his own fashion playing shots all around the ground.

After the first day's play, he was batting on 228. He along with Tendulkar build a partnership of 336 runs. When he was on 295 he decided to reach the triple century with a six of Saqlain Mushtaq. He became the first Indian to score a triple century. He was caught by keeper off Sami on 309. In his mammoth innings, he hit 39 fours and 6 sixes.

South Africa toured India in 2008 for a three-Test match series. In the first match in Chennai, South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first. On a good batting wicket, they batted brilliantly and scored 540 in the first innings. Hashim Amla was the highest run scorer in the innings with 159. There were vital contributions from Neil Mackenzie, Graeme Smith, and Mark Boucher. South Africa had probably batted India out of the match.

India in reply were 82 for no loss after the second days play with Sehwag Batting on 52. Next day Sehwag played one of the best Test knocks. He batted throughout the day. He scored his double hundred from just 194 and continued to score the fastest triple hundred from just 278 balls. The next day he was caught off Ntini on the score of 319. It is still the highest score for any Indian batsmen in Test matches. His knock included 42 fours and 5 sixes.

#3 Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle is known for smacking bowlers for sixes all around the park and scoring quickfire fifties and hundreds in T20s. When on a song he can rip apart any bowling lineup. He also has a double hundred to his name in ODIs which he scored against Zimbabwe in the 2015 world cup. Chris Gayle has crossed the 200 run mark three times in Test matches and twice in those three occasions, he went on to score a triple century.

In 2005 in the South Africa tour of West Indies in the fourth test on a good batting track Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat first. Proteas made good use of the batting conditions and posted a huge total of 588/6 in the first innings on the back of hundreds from Graeme Smith, AB Devilliers, Kallis, and Ashwell Prince. South African were confident of a win.

West Indies lost Hinds early but Sarwan and Chris Gayle played brilliantly and scored a partnership of more than 300 runs. Gyale played a counter-attacking innings and South African bowlers had to no answer. He went to score his first triple century. He got out on a score of 317. His knock included 37 fours and 3 sixes. His knock saved the Test match for West Indies and he was awarded Man of the Match award for this knock.

In 2010 in the first Test match of the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka in Galle, West Indies elected to bat first. Chris Gayle played a marvellous inning. He played shots in every corner. He went on to score his second triple hundred. His knock included 34 fours and 9 huge sixes.

His knock helped West Indies post a daunting total of 580 in the first innings but the because of rain Sri Lanka managed a draw. Gayle was awarded man of the match for his innings.

Gayle became the second West Indian to score two triple hundreds.

#4 Brian Lara

Brian Lara was one of the best batsmen of the previous era. He scored close to 12000 runs in Test matches and was probably the best batsmen from West Indies till now. He has 34 Test centuries to his name and on 9 occasions he went to covert these hundreds into double hundreds. He is third on the list of most double hundreds after Sir Don Badman and Kumar Sangakkara. Out of those nine occasions, he went on to score more than 300 in a Test innings twice.v

In 1994, in the fifth Test of the England tours of West Indies in St John's West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. They lost both the openers cheaply. Brian Lara anchored the innings and build partnerships which Adams, Arthurton, and Chanderpaul. He went on to score to 375 from 538 deliveries and his knock included 45 boundaries. He was on course to score 400 but was caught off Caddick. But he did go pass Sir Garfield Sobers 365 which was the highest score in a test match innings.

Brian Lara's 375 was the highest score in Test matches till Mathew Hayden broke it in 2004 against Zimbabwe. Hayden was also looking to score 400 but was caught on the score of 380.

England toured West Indies in 2004. In the fourth Test match of the series in St John's Brian Lara the West Indies captain won the toss and elected to bast first. In the first innings, Lara played on of his finest Test innings. His innings included 43 fours and 4 sixes. He went on to cross to Hayden's 380 and also became the first man to reach 400.

Till now this is the highest score in Test matches by a player and no other player has reached 400. Lara reached 400 on the same ground and against the same opposition against whom he scored 375.