Top 10 Fastest 200s in Test cricket

Top 10 Fastest 200s in Test cricket: For all the budding cricketers if there is one format which they dream to play the most is Test cricket. Representing your country in the whites is the ultimate moment of pride and honor for any cricketer. Test tests the skills as well as character of a batsman as teams don’t hesitate in attacking the weakness of the concerned players as there is sufficient level of time to do so unlike the shorter formats of the game. In Tests scoring double-century is one of the most enriching moments but yet a batsman who is able to plunder big runs in minimal time is considered to be a match-winner in real sense. Let’s have a look at the Top 10 Fastest 200s in Test cricket 10. Virender Sehwag v Pakistan (2004) – 222 balls: (© Getty Images) In the Multan Test match of 2004 against Pakistan, Sehwag became the first Indian to score a triple century in Tests. And it was an enchanting innings indeed. Viru scored 200 runs off 222 balls and was playing as if it was some ODI match. Overall, Viru stroked 309 runs in the innings which included as many as 39 fours and 6 sixes. His strike-rate was 82.40 even though he faced as many as 375 deliveries. Also Read: Fastest Double Hundreds In ODIs 9. Ian Botham v India (1982) – 220 balls: (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Patrick Eagar Collection via Getty Images) Ian Botham is the name of that pioneer English all-rounder who added dynamism to the folklore of the English cricket. Botham won many matches for his side on his own and possessed prodigal all-round skills. In 1982 Oval Test against India, Beefy played the most splendid innings of his international career as he scored 208 runs, his highest individual score in international cricket. Most importantly, the star English player brought up his double-ton off only 220 balls at a time when double-century at such a rapid pace was considered next to impossible. 8. Adam Gilchrist v South Africa (2002) – 212 balls: Adam Gilchrist. (© Getty Images) It was after this prominent innings by the Aussie wicket-batsman Adam Gilchrist, that he became an overnight sensation in the cricketing world. Gilchrist is the man who made people believe that wicket-keepers can bat as good as any accomplished batter. In this barbarous innings against South Africa at Johannesburg, the Kangaroo southpaw marched to his maiden double-century in as fewer as 212 balls. Gilly’s knock included 19 fours and 8 big sixes. Batting at no.7, he ended up with a strike-rate of 95.77. 7. Herschelle Gibbs v Pakistan (2003) – 211 balls: Herschelle Gibbs. (© Getty Images) Only cricket became a poorer place after this stylish and attacking South African opener, Gibbs hung up his boots. During his playing days, he was as dominating as any batsman you would ever see. In 2003 Cape Town Test against Pakistan, the Protea right-hander completed his double-century in only 211 balls. Gibbs went on to score 228 runs with the help of 29 fours and 6 maximums. He also struck a 368 run opening stand with Graeme Smith in this innings. 6. Virender Sehwag v South Africa (2008)- 194 balls: Virender Sehwag. (Photo Source: Getty Images) After South Africa posted a gigantic total of 540 runs on the board in the 1st innings of the Chennai Test in 2008, Indian’s were in a spot of bother. But Sehwag is the last man on the planet to take the pressure. He came out all guns blazing and hammered his second triple century in Test cricket and became only the third batsman after Bradman and Lara to do so at that time. He had reached his double-century in only 194 balls. Overall, Sehwag scored 319 runs off 304 balls at a strike-rate of 104.93 with the help of 42 fours and 5 sixes. 5. Brendon McCullum v Pakistan (2014) – 186 balls: Brendon McCullum. (Photo Source: AFP) Brendon McCullum has a different swagger and attitude all together. In the current time, there is no batter who is as destructive as this Kiwi skipper in Test match cricket. In 2014 against Pakistan at Sharjah, Baz blasted 202 runs off 188 balls to tear apart the Pakistani bowlers and especially their spinners who win them matches in UAE. McCullum reached his double-century off 186 balls. The innings included some lusty blows. In this knock, he hit 21 fours and 11 sixes and ended up with a strike-rate of 107.44. In the end, New Zealand won the match comfortably. 4. Virender Sehwag v Pakistan (2006) – 182 balls: (Photo Source: Getty Images) Don’t rub your eyes in surprise folks, Virender Sehwag has batted in Test cricket like no other batsman has been able to do consistently. In 2006 Lahore Test against Pakistan, he thwarted Pakistani bowlers as if he was playing against some club bowlers. In this inning only, he stitched a massive opening partnership of 410 runs with Rahul Dravid. Sehwag slammed 47 fours and a six in his scintillating knock of 254 runs. His strike rate in the innings was in excess of 100. 3. Virender Sehwag v Sri Lanka (2009) – 168 balls: Virender Sehwag. (Photo Source: Getty Images) This is for the fifth time in this list that we meet Sehwag. In December 2009 against Sri Lanka, Viru bettered all his records as he slapped his fastest double-century in Test cricket. He reached the 200 run mark in 168 balls. The dashing Indian opener went on to score 293 runs and fell just 7 runs short of making record 3 triple centuries in Test cricket. The Delhi lad struck 40 fours and 7 sixes in the sparkling knock. India went on to win the match easily and became the no.1 Test team in the world. 2. Ben Stokes v South Africa (2015) – 163 balls: Ben Stokes celebrates his 1st Test double hundred. (Photo Source: Twitter) Ben Stokes walked in to bat when the team looked in trouble reeling at 167/4 on day one of the 2nd Test. He started well, got to his fifty and remained unbeaten on 74 at stumps. SA looked to clear them up early in the second day but Stokes came in with a counterattacking strategy and soon got to his 3rd Test hundred in 105 balls. He got more aggressive then on, scoring faster than run a ball and got to his first 150 in 135 balls. The Protea bowlers had little help from the surface while Stokes seemed to see the ball as big as a football; he kept playing his strokes, lofting, cutting and driving the ball to and over the fence. A double ton soon looked in sight and the manner in which he was batting the fastest record was in reach as well, he hammed a Morne Morkel short ball for a four and with that jumped in joy for the second time in his knock, it took him 163 balls and though he missed the fastest record, scored the second fastest Test double century. He is going strong at the moment as the teams went off for lunch, batting unbeaten on 204 off 167 balls with as many as 26 boundaries and 7 sixes. 1. Nathan Astle v England (2001) – 153 balls: Nathan Astle. (© DEAN TREML/AFP/Getty Images) The swashbuckling Kiwi batsman, Nathan Astle holds the top position in the list. Astle had exploded the English bowlers in the 2001 Christchurch Test. Nathan had plundered 222 runs off only 168 balls at an unbelievable strike-rate of 132.14 with the help of 28 fours and 11 sixes. But yet his heroics went in vain as the England team won the match by 98 runs. He had reached his double-ton in as fewer as 153 balls which was the fastest ever in Test cricket and is a record intact till date. Also read: Top 7 batsmen fastest to 21 ODI tons (All Stats updated till 23rd July 2016)

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Top 10 Fastest 200s in Test cricket

9. Ian Botham v India (1982) – 220 balls:

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