SL vs AUS 1st Test: Josh Inglis Smashes Second Fastest Debut Century & Joins Unique List With The Ton

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis on Thursday (January 31) scripted history after marking his Test debut with a century on day 2 of the series opener against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium in Galle.

Inglis, who had already featured in 26 ODIs and 29 T20Is for Australia, walked out to bat at number five and opened his account with a four on his very first ball to let know his intentions as he took the attack on the Sri Lankan spinners.

Second Fastest Century on Test Debut

The right-handed batter reached his half-century in just 51 balls, with five fours, and later reached his century in 90 balls, with 10 fours and a six, becoming the fastest Australian to score a century on Test debut.

Ingllis, however, fell short of the overall record holder, former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan, who had scored an 87-ball century against Australia on his Test debut back in 2013. Dhawan had eclipsed West Indies' Dwayne Smith's 93-ball ton against South Africa in 2004, as per Wisden.

Inglis scored 102 in 94 balls, with 10 fours and a six, with his runs coming at a strike rate of 108.51, the highest among all debutants in Tests, bettering Shikhar's strike rate of 107.47 during his 174-ball 187 against Australia.

By reaching the triple-figure score in his first-ever Test appearance, Inglis also became the 21st Australian to score a hundred on Test debut, the first since 2015 and the third Aussie to do so on Asian soil.

The last three Australians to score a century on Test debut were all from Western Australia: Adam Voges against the West Indies in 2015, Shaun Marsh against Sri Lanka in 2011, and Marcus North against South Africa in 2009. Here is the full list of Australians to score century on Test debut:

Century on Test debut for Australia

Charles Bannerman vs England in Melbourne (1877)
Harry Graham vs England in Lord's (1893)
Reggie Duff vs England in Melbourne (1902)
Roger Hartigan vs England in Adelaide (1908)
Herbie Collins vs England in Sydney (1920)
Bill Ponsford vs England in Sydney (1924)
Archie Jackson vs England in Adelaide (1929)
Jim Burke vs England in Adelaide (1951)
Doug Walters vs England in Brisbane (1965)
Greg Chappell vs England in Perth (1970)
Gary Cosier vs West Indies in Melbourne (1975)
Dirk Wellham vs England in London (1981)
Kepler Wessels vs England in Brisbane (1982)
Wayne Phillips vs Pakistan in Perth (1983)
Mark Waugh vs England in Adelaide (1991)
Greg Blewett vs England in Adelaide (1995)
Michael Clarke vs India in Bengaluru (2004)
Marcus North vs South Africa in Johannesburg (2009)
Shaun Marsh vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele (2011)
Adam Voges vs West Indies in Roseau (2015)
Josh Inglis vs Sri Lanka in Galle (2025)

After his explosive firepower in the middle, lifted Australia to a herculean total to 654/6, Inglis said the moment has not yet sunk in and the wicketkeeper-batter added a century on debut is special.

"I don't reckon it has quite sunk in. A really special day. Something I'm really proud of. Getting a boundary first ball is always nice. I've been around this group for a while now... it's always nice to have your family around. Mom and Dad made a quick dash. Hundred on debut is special, so I'm really happy," Inglis said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.