Team India remains of one Test cricket’s dominant sides after almost a century of activity in the format. However, some teams have managed impressive records against the India Test squad in recent decades.
Only 10 batters in Test history have five or more tons on record against India. Let’s take a closer look at these batsmen and their remarkable achievements against one of the best teams in world cricket.
1. Joe Root (11 centuries against India in Tests)
Joe Root made history in June 2025 against India’s Test team at home. The talismanic batter smashed home a brilliant ton against India in Whites to bring his overall tally against his fierce opponents to eleven.
Root has been a part of 33 Test matches against India since his debut in December 2012. He currently has 3,099+ runs on record in this high-stakes feature after his debut over a decade ago. The Englishman’s ability to deliver runs under pressure and perform impressive strike action against India’s bowlers contributed to his mammoth centuries and runs tallies.
It’s also worth noting that Root is the only cricketer within touching distance of Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time runs-scoring record. He could go past Tendulkar’s 15,000+ tally in under 2 years if he continues delivering ton after ton for his country.
2. Steve Smith (11 centuries against India in Tests)
Australia’s Steve Smith is the only other cricketer to ever put double figures in Test centuries past India’s teams. The skilled hitter represented his country against India in 24 Test meetings and managed to record more tons than Joe Root in 9 fewer games.
Smith bagged his first ton against India at Nagpur in 2014 and scored 2,356 runs in total throughout all appearances. Fans suggest that Smith’s discipline under pressure and remarkable abilities while selecting shots is a major reason behind his success against Indian bowlers and fielders.
3. Garry Sobers (8 centuries against India in Tests)
Sir Garry Sobers is one of Test cricket’s top all-rounders and managed to register 8 centuries against India in Whites before retirement. He took part in 18 Tests that spanned 30 innings vs India and bagged 1,920 runs at an 83.47 strike rate. He also delivered 7 fifties to his side in this fixture alone.
Sobers was a headache for India’s bowlers at that time due to his mastery of timing and shot placement. He recorded impressive fluid drives and smart cuts against India during his active Test career to become one of the most lethal batters of his era.
4. Viv Richards (8 centuries against India in Tests)
Sir Viv Richards tormented bowlers with his remarkable batting power and gave India’s Test team several reasons to worry throughout his career. He bagged 1,927 runs against India alone in a Test run that secured 8 Test centuries for the batting legend.
5. Ricky Ponting (8 centuries against India in Tests)
Ponting retains his status as one of Test cricket’s most-prolific batters of all time years after retirement. He places fifth among cricketer who have the most Test tons against India. Ponting secured 2,555 runs versus India in Whites across 29 Tests in a run that assured 8 tons for the talismanic Aussie batter.
6. Shiv Chanderpaul (7 centuries against India in Tests)
Shiv Chanderpaul secured 2,171 runs against India in Tests across 25 appearances. The talented hitter bagged 7 tons in total vs India in Whites to become one of the most prolific hitters ever against this formidable long-format side.
7. Michael Clarke (7 centuries against India in Tests)
Australia’s Michael Clarke featured in 22 Tests against India and managed to record 7 tons in total. He bagged 2,049 runs across these appearances and now ranks 7th in the all-time list of tons recorded by an individual batter versus India in Tests.
8. Jacques Kallis (6 centuries against India in Tests)
Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis bagged 6 centuries against India across 17 Test matches in his career. His record took over a decade (2000 to 2013) to become a reality. Kallis also recorded a top score of 201 vs India in Whites at Nagpur in March 2010.
9. Zaheer Abbas (6 centuries against India in Tests)
Zaheer ‘Asian Bradman’ Abbas bagged 6 centuries against arch-rivals India during his Test career. His haul came from 1,740 runs in total at an 87 average throughout a period spanning almost 2 decades.
10. Younis Khan (5 centuries against India in Tests)
Younis Khan secured 5 centuries against India in Whites in his career. He only needed 9 Test meetings to bag this haul within a 3-year period. Khan’s exploits included a 144 in Faisalabad in 2005 and a 113 at Rawalpindi in 2006.
