Top five England batters with most Test centuries away from home

A test century represents a significant achievement for any batter, and reaching this milestone while playing away from home is particularly noteworthy, as it requires performing outside of the batter's usual environment.

England has produced numerous exceptional batters in the longest format of cricket, with several of them excelling in challenging away conditions. A total of seven English batters have achieved the milestone of scoring 10 or more centuries in away Test matches.

In this article, let’s look at the top five English batters who have scored the most hundreds in away Test matches.

5. Wally Hammond – 13 Test centuries

Wally Hammond stands as one of the most esteemed figures in the annals of English cricket. During his era, he was renowned for his prolific scoring ability in Test matches for England. Hammond played in 85 Test matches for England, amassing a total of 7,249 runs, which included 22 centuries.

Out of those, he played in 41 away Test matches, during which he achieved 13 centuries, accumulating a total of 4,245 runs with an impressive average of 66.32. Hammond possesses the record for the second-highest number of runs (295) scored in a single day of Test cricket.

4. Colin Cowdrey – 13 Test centuries

Colin Cowdrey became the first English batter to play in more than 100 Test matches. He was a phenomenal batter who was well-known for batting for a long period of time. Cowdrey scored more than 42,000 runs and achieved 107 centuries in First Class (FC) cricket, establishing himself as an elegant and exceptionally proficient batsman.

He achieved a total of 22 centuries for England across 114 Test matches, with 13 of those centuries being scored in away games. He accumulated a total of 7,624 runs, with 4,087 runs scored in away Tests at an average of 44.91.

3. Ken Barrington – 14 Test centuries

Only three players have achieved a batting average exceeding 58 after accumulating 6,000 or more runs in Test cricket. England’s Ken Barrington is one of them. The former middle-order batter participated in 82 Test matches, scoring a total of 6,806 runs at an impressive average of 58.67, which includes 20 centuries.

Remarkably, 14 of his 20 centuries were scored in away matches, highlighting his exceptional performance in unfamiliar environments. Barrington played in 36 away Test matches, accumulating a total of 3,459 runs at an impressive average of 69.18, which includes 14 centuries and 14 half-centuries.

2. Joe Root – 15 Test centuries

Joe Root, the leading run scorer for England in Test cricket, has already established himself as a legend in the format. Since his debut in 2012, Root has scored the highest number of runs, as well as the most fifties and centuries for the England cricket team.

Root has accumulated more than 12,500 runs, maintaining an average exceeding 50. He has played in 73 away Test matches, during which he scored a total of 6,128 runs, including 15 centuries and 32 half-centuries, with a highest score of 262.

1. Alastair Cook – 18 Test centuries

Alastair Cook possesses the record for the highest number of Test centuries scored by an England player in away matches, having achieved a total of 18 hundreds. The former opener established a remarkable legacy through his outstanding Test career representing England. He played test cricket between 2006 and 2018 and represented his country in 161 tests, scoring 12,472 runs with 33 centuries and 57 half-centuries.

Cook played in 72 Test matches outside of his home country, scoring a total of 5,904 runs at an average of 46.48, with a highest score of 263. He achieved a total of 18 centuries and 25 half-centuries in matches played outside of England, securing his position at the top of this list.

Cover Credits - ESPNcricinfo