5 batters with most Test hundreds against India ft. Steve Smith

Steve Smith top-scored for Australia in their first innings of the ongoing Boxing Day Test against India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Resuming his innings on 68 on Day 2 of the Test match on Friday, December 27, the seasoned batter went on to score 140 before being dismissed.

Smith added 112 for the seventh wicket with Aussie skipper Pat Cummins (49). The 35-year-old faced 197 balls during his stay at the crease and hit 13 fours and three sixes. He was dismissed in bizarre fashion as he charged down the track to Akash Deep and attempted to slam the bowler. Smith, however, miscued the stroke and the ball rebounded off his pads and hit the stumps.

The former Australian captain's ton on Friday at the MCG was his 11th Test hundred against India. He now holds the record for having notched up the most number of hundreds against India in Test matches. On that note, let's look at five batters with most Test centuries against India.

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#3 Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards, Garry Sobers (8)

Ricky Ponting enjoyed batting against India in home Tests. (Image Credits: Getty Images)

Three cricket legends - Ricky Ponting, Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Garry Sobers - are tied in third position on the list of batters with most hundreds in Test matches against India. All three ended their careers with eight Test tons against India.

Ponting played 29 Test matches against India and scored 2,555 runs at an average of 54.36. His best of 257 came in the Boxing Day Test of 2003.

Punter had scored 242 in the previous Test of the same series in Adelaide. He also hit 221 at the same venue in January 2012, which was his last Test ton against India. Interestingly, four of Ponting eight centuries against India came in Adelaide.

West Indian great Richards played 28 Tests against India, scoring 1927 runs at an average of 50.71. His best of 192* came in Delhi in December 1974 and was also his first Test ton against India. The former Windies captain hit 177 in Port of Spain in April 1976, 142 in Bridgetown in March 1976 and 130 in Port of Spain during the same Test series against India.

Speaking of Sobers, he played 18 Test matches against India and notched up 1,920 runs at a sensational average of 83.47. Sobers' highest of 198 against India came in Kanpur in December 1958. He also notched up 178* in Bridgetown in April 1971, 153 in Kingston in March 1962 and 142* in Brabourne in November 1958. Sobers' last Test ton against India (132) came in Port of Spain in April 1971.

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#2 Joe Root (10)

Joe Root has an impressive Test record against India. (Image Credits: Getty Images)

England's batting run-machine Joe Root is second on the list of batters with most Test hundreds against India. In 30 matches against India so far, he has scored 2,846 runs at an excellent average of 58.08, with the aid of 10 centuries.

Root's best of 218 against India was registered in Chennai in February 2021. The former England captain also scored an unbeaten 180* at the iconic Lord's cricket ground in August the same year. The 33-year-old also struck an unbeaten 154 in Nottingham in July 2014 and hit 149* at The Oval in the same series.

One of Root's most famous Test tons against India came when he scored 142* in Birmingham in July 2022, adding an unbroken 269 for the fourth wicket with Jonny Bairstow (114*) as England chased down 378. Root's 10th Test hundred against India came in Ranchi in February this year when he scored 122*.

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#1 Steve Smith (11)

Steve Smith during his knock of 140 in the Boxing Day Test against India (Image Credits: Getty Images)

With his 140 at the MCG on Friday, Smith surpassed Root on the illustrious list of batters with most Test hundreds against India. In 23 Test matches (including the ongoing Test) against the Indians, he has scored 2,306 runs at an average of 62.32, with the aid of 11 centuries.

Smith's highest of 192 against India came in Melbourne in the 2014 Boxing Day Test. Earlier in the same series, the right-handed batter scored 162* in Adelaide and 133 in Brisbane. Smith was named the Player of the Series for amassing 769 runs in eight innings at a stupendous average of 128.16.

The 35-year-old also scored an unbeaten 178 in Ranchi in March 2017, 131 in Sydney in the New Year Test of January 2021 and 121 at The Oval in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June 2023. He added 285 for the fourth wicket with Travis Head (163) in the first innings, laying the foundation for Australia's 209-run triumph in the championship match.