Top 5 Run-scorers in Tests in 2018
Team India ended 2018 on a high note by winning the boxing day Test and in the process managed to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. India currently leads the 4-match Test series 2-1 with the last match at SCG yet to be played.
India had quite an eventful year in terms of Test cricket as they have played most of their games abroad (South Africa, England, and Australia) and played just three games at home against the debutants Afghanistan and West Indies team.
This year has witnessed some engrossing and alluring Test matches which the true entertainment provided by Test cricket. Last week we saw the Sri Lankan team save the first Test match against the Kiwis team on the back of some outstanding innings played by Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis.
Almost all the teams have struggled to bat in the last innings of a Test this year as we witnessed multiple batting collapses from top cricketing nations like India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia.
Also, the Test match pitches in countries especially like South Africa has become very challenging as the wickets there are offering non-stop assistance to the pace bowlers. To overcome such drastic playing conditions the batsmen had to toil hard to survive and score in against quality bowlers.
We have witnessed some astonishing individual batting performances this year from the likes of Virat Kohli, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Cheteshwar Pujara, AB de Villiers, Karunarathne, Usman Khawaja and Joe Root. so in this slideshow, we take a look at the most consistent batsmen in Test cricket this year.
Notable mentions:
The top ten run-getters are -
#10 Dean Elgar(RSA) - 661 runs(10 matches)
#9 Aiden Markram(RSA) - 672 runs(10 matches)
#8 Mominul Haque(Ban) - 673 runs(8 matches)
#7 Usman Khawaja(Aus) - 732 runs(10 matches)
#6 Karunarathne(SL) - 743 runs(9matches)
Here are top 5 run scorers in 2018 -
#5 Jos Buttler(Eng) - 760 runs
In an interesting turn of events, Englands best-limited overs player in the last few years, Jos Buttler has transitioned himself into a reliable lower middle order batsmen for the England Test team this year and scored substantial runs batting at number 7 position.
He played some crucial knocks down the order during the India tour of England earlier this year which played a huge role in denting the chances of victory for team India on multiple occasions.
He played 10 Test matches this year and scored 760 runs at an average of 44.70 including a solitary century and 6 fifties.
He finished the year as the 5th highest scorer in the world this year. Also, he is the second highest run-getter for the English team only behind his Test skipper.