Top 5 Fastest Triple Centuries In Test Cricket

Karun Nair is one of only two Indian players who have a triple century to his name in the longest format of the game. On December 2016, Nair became the only second Indian and 30th overall to listed his name among the greats of the game when he hammered 303* against England at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The best part of his innings was that he scored 232 runs in a single day that saw his phenomenal fitness. Apart from that, he took only 381 balls to reach his triple century which is the 4th fastest in terms of balls. Despite his great knock, he has always been sidelined from the playing XI and didn't get many chances to prove his worth after that knock.



Karun Nair is celebrating his 26th birthday on 6 December and here we are presenting you some of the fastest triple centuries in which Nair also featured.

Here is the list of top 5 fastest triple hundred in test cricket history

1. Virendra Sehwag (278 balls, 2008, Chennai) - Virendra Sehwag is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen that cricket has ever seen. It has always been his motto to see the ball, hit the ball that makes him one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world.



In 2008, against South Africa against the bowlers like Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis, Sehwag registered fastest triple ton in Test cricket by any player. He turmoil South African attack and went on to score 319 runs off just 304 balls with the strike rate of 104.93. During his inning, he hit 42 fours and 5 sixes. His ability to hit the ball from very first over has always been the hallmark of his career.

2. Matthew Hayden (362 balls, 2003, Perth) - Australia's legend and one of the best openers in the world, Matthew Hayden played the knock of his life against helpless Zimbabwe in 2003 in Perth. During his 380 runs knock off 437 balls, he broke Brian Lara's highest individual score (375) record that was broken later by Lara himself when he made highest individual score ever of 400* against England.

Hayden, during his knock, hit 38 fours and 11 big sixes that saw Australia piled on a colossal 735 for 6 in the first innings. It was the fastest triple ton at that time before Sehwag broke it by a country mile.His mammoth knock ended up with the strike rate of 86.95.



3. Virendra Sehwag (364 balls, 2004, Multan) - There have been only four batsmen who have scored 2 triple centuries in Tests and Sehwag is one from them. Don Bradman, Chris Gayle and Brian Lara are other three batsmen. Sehwag had a chance to become the first player to score three triple tons but missed by just 7 runs when he scored 293 runs against Sri Lanka at Mumbai on December 2009.

In 2004, against Pakistan in Multan, Sehwag scored his first triple hundred. After that knock, his nicknamed 'The Sultan Of Multan'. The Multan match is infamous for Dravid’s declaration when Sachin was on 194*. Sehwag who made 309 runs reached his triple century with a six. His knock was filled up with 39 fours and 6 sixes with the strike rate of 82.40.

Note: Accurate information is not available about the balls required to reach a triple-hundred in earlier matches. It is estimated that Wally Hammond took around 355 balls against New Zealand in 1932-33.

4. Karun Nair (381 balls, 2016, Chennai) - In December 2016, Karun Nair became the only second Indian batsman to score a triple century in Tests. It was his first score of a three-figure mark which turned out to be in memorable one. Surprisingly, He didn't get enough chances after that famous triple century knock.

Nair scored 303* off 381 balls including 32 fours and 4 sixes with the strike rate of 79.52. Interestingly, his last 102 runs came off just 76 balls. In the same match, KL Rahul missed out his double century as he caught on 199.

5. Chris Gayle (393 balls, 2010, Galle) - West Indies' left-hander, Chris Gayle is known for his big hitting sixes ability. He is among the only 4 players who have scored more than one triple century in Tests. In Galle against Sri Lanka, he turmoil Lankan's attack and made 333 off 437 balls which later became his jersey number.

He scored those runs with the strike rate of 76.20. He hit 34 fours and 9 sixes in that innings. His knock is the fifth highest away from home.

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