Check out the top Test centurions from each nation

Alastair Cook created history at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, registering his 23rd Test century, the most by an Englishman.

His third consecutive hundred in the ongoing series against India enabled England take control on Day 2 of the third Test.

England's captain also set a world record of notching five centuries in his five Tests as captain.

As England celebrates Cook's feat, here's a look at the leading Test centurions of each nation.

Ricky Ponting has scored the most number centuries for Australia in Test cricket with 41 hundreds to his name, while former captain Steve Waugh is second with 32.

Sachin Tendulkar may be struggling for runs of late, but he has shattered every possible record in the sport with his magnificent batting in a career that has spanned for 23 years now.

The veteran right-hander has hit 51 hundreds in 317 innings in Tests and it is unlikely that anyone will break some of the records he has created in the sport.

Rahul Dravid, who retired earlier this year, also enjoyed a glorious career as he finished with 36 centuries and former opener Sunil Gavaskar is third with 34.

There is no stopping Alastair Cook at the moment. He is in the form of his life, having smashed three centuries in the first three Tests in the ongoing series against India.

Cook's century on day two of the third Test in Kolkata helped him set a new record as the most centuries-getter for England in Tests.

Controversial team-mate Kevin Pietersen is second with 22 hundreds, tied with Wally Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and Geoffrey Boycott.

Jacques Kallis has been South Africa's top batsman for the last 10-15 years and, not suprisingly, he holds the record for most centuries with 44.

Test captain Graeme Smith is in second place with 26 and current coach Gary Kirsten is third with 21.

Brian Lara is one of the best batsman that emerged from the Carribbean and he rightly sits atop the century-scoring chart for the West Indies with 34 hundreds in Test cricket.

Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul is second on the list with 27 hundreds, while legendary all-rounder Gary Sobers scored 26 tons.

Martin Crowe, who played 77 Tests, holds the record for the most centuries for New Zealand with 17, while former India coach John Wright made 12.

Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq left a mark with the bat, retiring with a record 25 centuries in Test cricket, the highest for Pakistan.

Mohammad Yousuf finished close with 24, while Javed Miandad made 23.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene leads from the front with the bat for Sri Lanka, with 31 centuries, while former skipper Kumar Sangakkara is a close second with 30.

Aravinda de Silva is a distant third with 20 tons.