Top 5 Indian Test batsmen of the decade

Indian cricket has had a resurgence in the Test format in recent years. Gone are the days when the country's batsmen would cower and surrender meekly against strong bowling attacks; India now have skilled batsmen who have made their mark both at home and overseas.

This decade saw the rise of some great players, and at the same time witnessed the retirements of legends such as Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and the likes rose to the occasion to fill the huge holes left in Indian Test cricket by these legends.

As we move towards the end of the decade, it seems fitting to make a list of the five Indian batsmen who lit the Test format on fire with their on-field exploits.

#5 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the greatest batsman of all time. He holds a lot of records in Test cricket too, with his total tally of 15,921 runs being the most by any batsman in the history of the format. He was a cornerstone in the Indian Test team, continuing in the longer format of the game well after retiring from ODIs.

Tendulkar played 38 innings this decade, scoring 2951 runs at an astounding average of 50.01. He hit eight centuries and 14 half-centuries in this time frame.

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Overall Tendulkar played 200 Tests for the country, with his last match being played at the Wankhede stadium where he scored a useful 74 before getting out and walking back for the last time in his Test career. He retired in the year 2013, stacking up a grand total of 51 centuries.

That he still manages to feature in the top 5 batsmen of this decade is a testament to his greatness.