3 Formats, 3 Hundreds

What have Brendon McCullum, Ahmed Shehzad, Shane Watson, Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis, Mahela Jayawardene and Rohit Sharma all done that no England player has?

The answer? All of them have scored a century in a Test Match, ODI and a t20 International. So, which England player will be the first to achieve it?

The Frontrunners

Alex Hales - scorer of England's only t20i hundred

Alex Hales – Given a t20i hundred is probably the most difficult to achieve in terms of time, Hales is the most likely man to get the hat-trick. He has achieved the feat in both white ball formats and should the selectors stick with him for the Sri Lanka Series in May, he will have an excellent chance of a maiden Test ton to complete the set.

Joe Root – The golden boy of England cricket is currently the closest England player to achieve the feat with a highest t20i score of 90*to go with multiple Test and ODI centuries. Over the past 12 months or so he has proven he can play any format. Don’t be surprised if he racks up another hundred in the World t20.

Eoin Morgan – Like Root, Morgan has got hundreds in Tests and ODI’s with a t20i best of 85*. He may not have been in great touch lately but it would take a brave man to bet against playing another captain’s innings at the upcoming World t20 where his previous experience in the IPL could prove crucial for England.

The Outsiders

Jason Roy celebrates his maiden ODI Century

Jason Roy – Scored a ton in each format for Surrey in 2015 and already has an ODI hundred to his name and is more than capable of getting a t20i one aswell.  If Hales doesn’t work out in the Test arena and England wish to stick with an aggressive opening partner for Alastair Cook, he could find himself with a crack at all 3.

Jos Buttler – Perhaps surprisingly to some, Jos Buttler only has (rapid) ODI hundreds for England. To get all 3 would require something special in the World t20 followed by a Test recall in the spring.

Ben Stokes – Perhaps surprisingly to some Ben Stokes hasn’t got an ODI ton under his belt yet. That will be only a matter of time. A t20i hundred is by no means beyond his capabilities.

The Very Very Unlikely

Alastair Cook – No-one has more Test centuries for England than Alastair Cook. He also has some very well compiled ODI hundreds. It would  take a bizarre set of circumstances for him to be recalled to England’s t20 side and ton up in that format as well.