Fastest Test match hundred (male)

In his 101st and final Test match, against Australia at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 20 February 2016, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum smashed a 54-ball hundred – featuring 16 fours and four sixes – in just 79 minutes. He reached three figures two balls faster than the previous record for the fastest Test hundred, set by Viv Richards (West Indies) in 1986 and matched by Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) in 2014.

It was New Zealand captain McCullum's 12th Test hundred, in his 175th innings. He went from 82 to 100 in just four balls, with a six and three consecutive fours.

McCullum was finally dismissed for 145, off 79 balls. His completed innings included six sixes, to take him clear of Adam Gilchrist (100 Test sixes) for the most sixes hit in a Test match career (106).

McCullum was reprieved on 39, when he was caught off a no-ball.

Viv Richards (Antigua) hit a 56-ball ton for the West Indies against England at Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's, Antigua, on 15 April 1986. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan) equalled Richards' feat against Australia at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 2 November 2014. Like McCullum, both Richards and Misbah were captains at the time they scored their record-breaking hundreds.

By comparison, the fastest hundred in a One-Day International was achieved in 31 balls by AB de Villiers (South Africa) against the West Indies on 18 January 2015, and the fastest Twenty20 International hundred was set in 45 balls by South Africa's Richard Levi against New Zealand on 19 February 2012.

At the end of the first day's play in Christchurch, Australia were 57 for 1 in reply to New Zealand's 370 all out. The hosts were in trouble at 32 for 3 when McCullum came to the crease. After his dismissal, they had raced to 253 for 5.

"I was trying to hit every ball for four or six," said McCullum. "Viv [Richards] was my idol growing up, he was an incredible cricketer. I'm almost a little bit embarrassed to go past him, to be honest."