In the Ashes 2025 1st Test, Travis Head made history by scoring a century in just 69 balls, recording the second-fastest century in Ashes history and joining the elite group of batters.
He opened for Australia in the second innings and scored a magical century, putting Australia in a comfortable position in the chase.
With Australia and England sharing one of the fiercest rivalries in Test cricket, this is a remarkable achievement. Here we look at the list of fastest century in Ashes history.
Adam Gilchrist, the former Australia wicketkeeper-batter, tops the list for the fastest century in Ashes history. In the 2006/07 series, during the second innings of the third Test at WACA in Perth, Gilchrist, batting at No. 7, smashed a century in just 57 balls. He finished his innings on 102* off 59 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes. This century is also the fourth-fastest Test century of all time.
Interestingly, he was out for a duck in the first innings. In his career, Gilchrist scored 17 centuries and 26 half-centuries in 96 matches.
During the 1st Test of Ashes 2025 in Perth, Travis Head scored a century in just 69 balls in the second innings, making it the second-fastest century in Ashes history. Head opened the innings for Australia as Usman Khawaja was unable to bat due to a back issue.
Normally a middle-order batter, Head coming to open turned out to be a masterstroke for Australia. He scored 123 off 83 balls, including 16 fours and four sixes. His innings was crucial as Australia comfortably chased down the target of 205, winning by eight wickets.
In the fifth Test of the Ashes series in 1902 at The Oval, Gilbert Jessop of England scored a century in just 76 balls in the second innings, making it the third-fastest century in Ashes history.
His innings of 104, which included 17 fours, was crucial in helping England win the match, as they defeated Australia by just one wicket while chasing a target of 263.
Joseph Darling of Australia scored a century in just 85 balls during the second innings of the fifth Test in Sydney, making it the fourth-fastest century in Ashes history. He finished his innings on 160, hitting 30 boundaries. Australia, chasing a target of 275, comfortably won the match by six wickets.
In his career, Darling played 34 Tests for Australia, scoring 1,657 runs, including three centuries and eight half-centuries.
Travis Head finds his name on the list again, as during the 1st Ashes Test in 2021, the left-handed batter scored a century in just 85 balls, making it the joint fourth-fastest century in Ashes history. This came in the first innings, where he finished on 152 off 148 balls, including 14 boundaries and four sixes.
In the end, Australia won the match comfortably by nine wickets.
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| Player | Fastest Century in Ashes (No. of Balls) | Date |
| Adam Gilchrist (AUS) | 57 | 2006/07 |
| Travis Head (AUS) | 69 | 2025/26 |
| Gilbert Jessop (ENG) | 76 | 1902 |
| Joseph Darling (AUS) | 85 | 1898 |
| Travis Head (AUS) | 85 | 2021/22 |
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