In Test cricket's high-stakes colosseum, fast boundaries and strike-rate pyrotechnics tend to steal the headlines. But among the most incredible achievements, some have been built by determined batsmen staying put on the crease for hours—painstakingly piling up runs under extreme pressure and horrific conditions. Such grind-it-out performances determined the course of matches, showing patience and mental toughness over flair. Among them are five batsmen who are tallest standing tall for scoring the slowest Test centuries in history—recorded not in terms of speed, but minutes spent testing their endurance. The legendary doggedness of such cricketers as Pakistan's Mudassar Nazar and South Africa's DJ McGlew is the subject of this article, whose marathon occupations at the crease are reading like endurance novels. We look into every innings, the back-story of their slow centuries, and why such tenacious innings are still present-day symbols of toughness—particularly in a world dominated by aggressive formats. Slow and steady for the purists is the ultimate power play. Top 5 Slowest Test Centuries Ever Played Player Country Minutes to 100 Match & Year Mudassar Nazar Pakistan 557 vs ENG, Lahore 1977‑78 DJ McGlew South Africa 545 vs AUS, Durban 1957‑58 Asanka Gurusinha Sri Lanka 535 vs ZIM, Harare 1994‑95 Jeff Crowe New Zealand 516 vs SL, Colombo 1986‑87 Sanjay Manjrekar India 500 vs ZIM, Harare 1992‑93 Top 5 Slowest Test Centuries Ever Played Detailed Analysis Mudassar Nazar Image Source : Getty Images Mudassar Nazar's Lahore Test century remains the longest ever. He took 419 deliveries and spent 557 minutes at the crease to register a guarded 114—not to overwhelm, but to make sure Pakistan had a sure draw.His innings represented determination: 12 boundaries breaking the otherwise stern knock. This effort is still the stuff of legend, and the thought that his record might be overthrown within a short while seems distant in the fast game of cricket today. Also Read | Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets in International Cricket in all Formats DJ McGlew Image Source : Wikipedia DJ McGlew's century arrived at glacier-like speed. Batting during the Durban Test, he took 545 minutes to get to 100—eventually making 105 in a soul-sapping exercise in patience. Played off a flat track with no inclination to hurry, the innings was about survival. Wisden called it a remarkable "feat of concentration," even as it conceded the glacial pace of his accumulation of runs. Asanka Gurusinha Image Source : Getty Images Sri Lanka's Asanka Gurusinha holds the third-slowest century, taking 535 minutes in Harare. Under tacky conditions providing turn and fading light, he took on a defensive frame of mind to lead his team through difficult conditions. His 535-minute watch, though less gleefully reported than Nazar's, is still representative of the nervous creativity Test cricket requires. Jeff Crowe Image Source : ESPN Jeff Crowe’s composed stand in Colombo lasted 516 minutes as he worked thoroughly through Sri Lankan spin. His innings reflected affection for red-ball cricket’s cerebral challenge. Facing the turning ball and fading visibility, Crowe persisted, emphasizing deft defense and mental endurance over collapse—retiring with a stirring example of sacrifice for the team cause . Sanjay Manjrekar Image Source : Getty Images Sanjay Manjrekar's 500-minute Harare knock took fifth position on this list. His 104-run marathon was the slowest Indian Test century, demonstrating defensive solidity .It was an example of selfless batting: defying dismissals and holding up the batting line-up—proving that in Tests, survival is at times the greatest achievement. Also Read | Double Century on Test Debut: Full List of Players Who Made History Conclusion During an era when cricket tends to reward speed, these five slowest Test centuries remind us in a deep way about stamina and determination. From Nazar's then-record 557-minute watch to Manjrekar's courageous Harare stand, each of these innings reminds us of traditional Test values: patience, concentration, and blocking. As much as today's fans might crave powerful strokes, these endurance ones determined the course of entire games, providing inspiration for value-minded players. In an age of Twenty20 supremacy, the memory of these deliberate innings serves as a reminder that Test cricket is still a crucible not only of technique, but of temperament. Unless Test demands change drastically, these slowest centuries are bound to last—chiseled into history as timeless benchmarks of unflinching grit.