Five Fastest Test Centuries Scored Against India
India's ongoing Test tour of England has reached its second match at Edgbaston, and over the first two days, Team India dominated with both bat and ball.
After posting a mammoth total of 587 runs, the Indian bowlers had England struggling at 84 for 5 early on Day 3. However, just when the visitors looked set to wrap up the innings quickly, Jamie Smith arrived at the crease with a completely different approach.
Smith Counterattacks in ODI Style
Displaying fearless intent, the young English batter Jamie Smith took on the Indian attack and brought up a blistering century in just 80 balls.
Partnering with Harry Brook, who remains unbeaten on 93, the duo stitched a crucial 170-run stand that has revived England’s innings. At the end of the second session on Day 3, England stands at 256/5, still trailing India by 331 runs.
Fourth Fastest Test Century Against India
With his quickfire century, Smith has now entered the record books as the fourth-fastest centurion against India in Test cricket. He surpassed Kamran Akmal, who had scored a 100 in 81 balls in Lahore back in 2006. The top spot in this elite list is still held by David Warner, who hammered a century in just 69 balls at Perth in 2012.
Fastest Test Centuries vs India (by balls faced):
69 balls – David Warner (Perth, 2012)
75 balls – AB de Villiers (Centurion, 2011)
78 balls – Shahid Afridi (Lahore, 2006)
80 balls – Jamie Smith (Edgbaston, 2025)
81 balls – Kamran Akmal (Lahore, 2006)
Joint-Fastest Test Ton by an English Batter Since 1902
Smith’s century is also joint-third fastest in England’s Test history, equaling Harry Brook’s 80-ball ton against Pakistan in 2022. The record for the fastest remains with Gilbert Jessop, who smashed a 76-ball century way back in 1902 against Australia.
Fastest Test Centuries for England:
76 balls – Gilbert Jessop vs Australia (The Oval, 1902)
77 balls – Jonny Bairstow vs New Zealand (Trent Bridge, 2022)
80 balls – Harry Brook vs Pakistan (Rawalpindi, 2022)
80 balls – Jamie Smith vs India (Edgbaston, 2025)
85 balls – Ben Stokes vs New Zealand (Lord’s, 2015)
Who is Jamie Smith?
At just 24 years old, Jamie Smith is one of England’s most promising wicketkeeper-batters. He made his Test debut in 2024 and has quickly made an impact. In just 12 Tests, Smith has amassed 827 runs in 19 innings at an impressive average of 51.69, including two centuries and four half-centuries. He has also featured in 13 ODIs, scoring 258 runs with one fifty to his name.
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