T20I cricket came and made cricket exciting again. It needed something to get fans to come back to the stadiums and watch on TV. T20I cricket is different from Test and One-Day Internationals. Batsmen have to score quickly and use new techniques.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) gives local cricketers a chance to show off their skills. It’s a big deal for them. It has helped India find many talented batsmen.
In this article, we look at the five fastest centuries scored by Indian players in T20I cricket
1. Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma, who’s known for hitting cricket centuries really quickly, scored one in just 35 balls during a match against Sri Lanka in 2017. He already had one century in this type of cricket before, and it took him almost two years to get his second.
During the game, Sharma was batting first and hit the ball all over the field, making it hard for the Sri Lankan bowlers to stop him. He ended up scoring 100 runs in just 35 balls, with 11 fours and eight sixes. But eventually, he got out after scoring 118 runs off 43 balls, hitting a few more fours and sixes before leaving the field.
2. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav, a really good player in T20 cricket, did an amazing job for India. He came in to bat at number two and scored a hundred in just 45 balls. The Sri Lankan team couldn’t really stop him. In the last T20 match of the series in Rajkot, Yadav played superbly.
The series was tied at 1-1, so it was an important game. Yadav attacked the Sri Lankan players, especially because the pitch was easy to score on. He started with a fifty in 26 balls and then quickly got to a hundred in just 45 balls.
Yadav’s batting was exceptional. He hit the ball everywhere, even over the wicketkeeper’s head. He scored 112 not out, including seven fours and nine sixes. He was in a league of his own compared to the other players.
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3. KL Rahul
KL Rahul, who was new to T20 international cricket, quickly adjusted from the traditional cricket format to the more aggressive one. He had already shown his skills in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In 2016, during a match against the West Indies in Lauderhill, India was struggling to chase a target of 246 runs when Rahul came to bat.
While Rohit Sharma was playing aggressively, Rahul played more carefully, focusing on safe shots. But after Sharma got out, Rahul changed his approach and started hitting the ball more confidently. He had already scored a century in the first innings.
Rahul’s batting was almost perfect. He reached his first T20 international century in 46 balls, which was the fastest for India at that time, until Rohit Sharma scored a century in just 35 balls. Rahul scored 110 runs off 51 balls, including 12 fours and five sixes. Despite his effort, India lost the match by just one run.
4. Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav, known for his skills in T20 cricket, showed how good he was when he started playing for India. In a match against England in 2022, while other Indian players struggled, Yadav stood out.
India needed to chase 2016 runs, and when they lost three wickets, Yadav took charge. He played fearlessly and creatively, scoring a tough 50 runs off 32 balls. Even when things got tough, he didn’t back down.
As wickets kept falling, Yadav kept attacking the English bowlers with all kinds of shots, impressing everyone with his unique style. He reached his first century in T20 international cricket in just 48 balls, making it the fourth fastest for an Indian.
In total, he scored 117 runs off 55 balls, hitting 14 fours and six sixes. Even though India didn’t win the match, they came close, losing by just 17 runs.
ALSO READ: Top 5 Test Run-getters for India
5. Yashasvi Jaiswal
India’s new cricket players are known for playing with bravery and making a big impact. Yashasvi Jaiswal is one of them. He showed his fearless playing style in a match against Nepal during the Asian Games T20 in 2023.
Even though the ground was small, Jaiswal hit the ball all over, scoring many runs. He reached his fifty in just 22 balls and was on track to score a hundred, but he lost his rhythm because other players kept getting out. Finally, he scored his first T20I century in 48 balls, hitting eight fours and seven sixes.
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