When you consider top Test-playing nations, it is the Indian tail that’s considered the weakest. Even now, the No.9, 10 & 11 of Team India do not contribute much to the score. That said, in the past, a few bowlers from India have managed to score a century in Tests. In this article, we take a look at five Indian bowlers who have scored a century in Test cricket so far.
1) R Ashwin – 5 Centuries
Runs – 103 || Opposition – West Indies || Venue – Mumbai || Year – 2011
Runs – 124 || Opposition – West Indies || Venue – Kolkata || Year – 2013
Runs – 113 || Opposition – West Indies || Venue – Antigua || Year – 2016
Runs – 118 || Opposition – West Indies || Venue – St Lucia || Year – 2016
Runs – 106 || Opposition – England || Venue – Chennai || Year – 2021
It was actually as a batsman that R Ashwin started his cricketing career. In fact, he opened the batting for a few of his initial teams. Later, Ashwin turned into a quality off-spinner, who has now picked up over 400 wickets for Team India. Nevertheless, now and then, the Chennai lad also performs well with the bat.
So far, Ashwin has got five centuries and while four of them have come against West Indies, the recent one in 2021 was against England at his hometown Chennai. Incidentally, in four of these five games, Team India ended up on the winning side.
2) Anil Kumble – 1 Century
Runs – 110* || Opposition – England || Venue – London || Year – 2007
Anil Kumble is one of the Indian bowlers who have scored a century in Test cricket so far. Considering he took 619 wickets for Team India, it is terrific that he also has a century to his name. The leg-spinner’s five fifties add to his batting contributions.
In the third Test of the Pataudi Trophy in 2007 at the Kennington Oval, Team India was batting first. Every India batsman got starts but no one got to the three-figure mark. Eventually, it was Kumble who scored a century. The legend also picked up five wickets in the game. The match ended in a draw.
3) Ajit Agarkar – 1 Century
Runs – 109* || Opposition – England || Venue – London || Year – 2002
A proper batsman in his junior days, Ajit Agarkar went on to become a consistent wicket-taking pacer in ODIs. He did have a decent Test career, with 26 games in his account. While the Mumbai cricketer enjoyed a few good outings with the ball, it was one game with the bat that will remain etched in his Test career.
He achieved a feat that even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar have not been able to accomplish. Ajit scored a hundred at the Lord’s, that too in the second innings. He also picked three wickets in the game. However, despite his valiant efforts, India lost the match by 170 runs.
4) Harbhajan Singh – 2 Centuries
Runs – 115 || Opposition – New Zealand || Venue – Ahmedabad || Year – 2010
Runs – 111* || Opposition – New Zealand || Venue – Hyderabad || Year – 2010
Apart from the 417 wickets that he took, Harbhajan Singh scored more than 2000 runs for Team India in the five-day format. He batted mostly at No.8 and 9. Of this contribution, Bhajji also has two centuries to his name. The off-spinner got to nine half-centuries aside from the hundreds.
Both the hundreds came in a single home series against New Zealand in 2010. In the game at Ahmedabad, India was down to 65-6 in the second innings. He put on a partnership with VVS Laxman to help India secure a draw. Later on in the series, at Hyderabad, Bhajji was India’s sole centurion in the game. This match, too, ended in a draw.
5) Jayant Yadav – 1st Century
Runs – 104 || Opposition – England || Venue – Mumbai || Year – 2016
Jayant Yadav deservedly earned a chance to play for Team India in the 2016 home series against England. Although everyone knew that he was capable with the bat, the focus was on Jayant’s bowling abilities.
However, in just the third game of his career, Jayant Yadav struck a century and surprised many. He put on 241 runs with Virat Kohli for the 8th wicket and also became the first Indian centurion after coming to play at No.9. Jayant also got a fifty in the series. India won this particular game convincingly. That said, he only played a couple of more encounters for India and has been off the picture since then. Hence, he is one of the Indian bowlers who have scored a century in Test cricket so far.
