How Alastair Cook's 23 centuries compares with world's best

Alastair Cook, 27, broke English cricket records today. Credit: Reuters

Alastair Cook today moved clear as the man with the most England Test centuries of all time by reaching three figures in the third Test against India in Kolkata for the 23rd time.

Here is the task facing Cook to break into the world top 10 of all-time Test century-makers:

  • 1. Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 51 centuries in 192 Test matches

  • 2. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) - 44 in 158

Jacques Kallis. Credit: PA

  • 3. Ricky Ponting (Australia) - 41 in 168

Ricky Ponting. Credit: PA

  • 4. Rahul Dravid (India) - 36 in 164

Rahul Dravid. Credit: PA

  • 5. Sunil Gavaskar (India) - 34 in 125

Indian bowler Ravi Shastri congratulates his compatriot, Rest of the World XI batsman Sunil Gavaskar for reaching his century in 1987. Credit: PA

  • 6. Brian Lara (West Indies) - 34 in 131

Brian Lara. Credit: PA

  • 7. Steve Waugh (Australia) - 32 in 168

Steve Waugh retired from Test cricket in 2002. Credit: PA

  • 8. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) - 31 in 135

Mahela Jayawardene. Credit: PA

  • 9. Matthew Hayden (Australia) - 30 in 103

Matthew Hayden in 2002. Credit: Phil Walter/EMPICS Sport

  • 10. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) - 30 in 113

Kumar Sangakkara in 2007. Credit: PA

*denotes still active

Cook already pulled clear of fellow countrymen including Andrew Strauss, Geoffrey Boycott and Kevin Pietersen:

  • 1. Alastair Cook - 23 in 85

Alastair Cook. Credit: PA

  • 2. Wally Hammond - 22 in 85

Wally Hammond played his last Test match in the 1946/47 season. His record of 22 centuries stood for over 63 years. Credit: S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport

  • 3. Kevin Pietersen - 22 in 90

Kevin Pietersen is one century away from matching Cook's 23. Credit: PA

  • 4. Geoffrey Boycott - 22 in 108

Boycott scored 22 Test centuries between 1964 and 1982.

  • 5. Colin Cowdrey - 22 in 114

Colin Cowdrey scored 22 Test centuries between 1954 and 1975. Credit: PA

  • 6. Andrew Strauss - 21 in 100

Andrew Strauss resigned as England captain this summer. Credit: PA