2018 Player Ratings for India in ODIs
India's ODI performance in 2018 was outstanding as they emerged as the best team in terms of winning percentage. The Men in Blue won 75% of the ODI matches they played. This is the highest by any team in 2018. Also, India's winning percentage of 73.33% in overseas ODIs was again the best by any team in 2018.
Men in Blue started their ODI cricket calendar with a hat-trick of wins against South Africa at home and ended the 6 match series with a 5-1 victory. Up next, India locked horns with England in July where the lost the three-match series even after winning the first match by eight wickets. This was the only ODI series India lost in 2018.
The biggest achievement in 2018 for India in ODIs was the Asia Cup triumph. Captained by Rohit Sharma in the tournament, India played six matches and won five while one game against Afghanistan ended in a tie. Team India played their last ODI series against West Indies in which they defeated the Caribbean team 3-1.
As many as 25 players featured for India in ODIs in 2018. Out of them, only Dhoni played all the 20 ODIs that India played in 2018. As 2018 has ended, here is an attempt to rate the players based on their performances and contributions in one of India's most successful cricketing year.
NOTE: Only players with 10 or more matches have been considered in this rating list.
#1 Rohit Sharma- 8/10
Matches- 19, Runs- 1030, Average- 73.57, 100s- 5, 50s- 3, HS- 162
Rohit Sharma started 2018 at a low in South Africa where even after century he could only manage 170 runs in 6 matches at an average of 28.33. Again in England, he only performed well in the first match where he made an unbeaten 137.
It was the Asia Cup where he finally came out all guns blazing and ended up scoring 317 runs in five matches which included two half-centuries and a century.
In the last bilateral series of 2018, the Indian opener scored 389 runs which included two 150+ scores and a half-century at an impressive average of 97.25. His best for the year (162 runs) came in this series against Windies.
All-in-all, the Hitman's performance in 2018 was second best for India in terms of runs and also in world cricket. Sharma scored at an average of 73.57 and that too with an extremely impressive strike rate of 100+ in 2018 which is good for India as World Cup inches closer.