Suresh Raina is the first Indian cricketer to score a century in all three format – Test, ODI, and T20I. He completed this milestone in 2010 by scoring 101 against South Africa in a T20I, having already scored hundreds in Tests and ODIs.
The Journey To The Record
Raina made his International cricket debut in 2005 and had to wait for three years to score his first century. In an ODI game against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup 2008, Raina made 101 runs off 68 deliveries. His career peaked in 2010 when he crossed the 1000-run mark in a year for the first time in his career.
Raina made three centuries that year. The first came in an ODI game against Sri Lanka in January. In May, Raina made 101 runs off 60 deliveries against South Africa in the T20 World Cup. He became the first Indian batter to score a T20I century. In July, Raina made his Test debut against Sri Lanka and became the 12th Indian batter to score a century on debut. Thus, he became the first Indian to score 100 in all international cricket formats.
Understanding The Significance
Scoring a century in each format of the game is no small feat. As of August 2025, a total of 92 Indian batters have scored a century in Test cricket. The list comes down to 43 in ODIs. In T20Is, only 12 Indian batters have made a century for India.
Out of these only five Indian batters have been there who have scored a century in all formats. All formats of the game demand a different approach. The T20 format has all been about going bonkers from the very first ball. ODIs are all about a balance between aggression and caution, while Test cricket demands patience.
Other Indian Cricketers Who Achieved This Milestone
Following Raina’s footsteps, four other Indian batsmen have joined this exclusive club:
- Rohit Sharma – One of the most prolific run-scorers in modern cricket, with 12 Test centuries, 32 ODI centuries, and 5 T20I centuries.
- KL Rahul – A versatile batsman with 10 Test centuries, 7 ODI centuries, and 2 T20I centuries.
- Virat Kohli – Despite having 30 Test centuries and 51 ODI centuries, Kohli joined this club only in 2022 when he scored his maiden T20I century (122*) against Afghanistan.
- Shubman Gill – The most recent addition, who completed the feat in 2023 with 9 Test centuries, 8 ODI centuries, and 1 T20I century
Global Context
As of July 2025, a total of 27 men and five women cricketers have scored a century in all three formats. Raina was only the fourth cricketer to achieve this record after Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, and Mahela Jayawardene.
Evolution Of Multi-Format Excellence
The achievement has become increasingly challenging in modern cricket due to:
- Format specialisation by players
- Increased competition for spots in the national team
- Different skill requirements for each format
- Limited opportunities to play all three formats consistently
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Conclusion
Suresh Raina’s achievement as the first Indian to score centuries in all three formats remains a significant milestone in Indian cricket history. He made this possible when not many cricketers had scored a century in T20Is. India had to wait for five years to find the second player on this list. No other country has five or more batters who have made a century in each format. It was Raina who set the foundation for these batters. The list might grow in the upcoming few years, and Raina will remain the inspiration for the next generation of Indian batters ready to make their mark in every format.
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