Who has been the best Test batsman since 2010

Since 2010, many men have caught eyeballs in Test arena, but only a few have played consistently good cricket. In a decade when many legends have already retired, these three years have had some new bright lights and have even seen some old horses speak.

The statistics:

Name	Runs	Average	100s
A.Cook	2821	58.77	10
J. Kallis	2082	80.07	11
K.Sangakkara	2323	62.78	9
H. Amla	2188	72.93	8
S.Tendulkar	2500	59.72	8

Inarguably, these five are the best overall Test batsmen since 2010. But their numbers have been so amazingly good that picking one among these five is in itself a dilemma.  Let us filter down the numero uno!

Studying deep: Highlights of their big innings.

Alastair Cook

2010: He scored heavily in Ashes with a double ton and two big hundreds.  One ton against Bangladesh.

2011: An Ashes ton. A 294 against India. Another ton against Sri Lanka at Cardiff.

2012: Tons versus South Africa and Pakistan.

Jacques Kallis

2010: Prolific run-scoring against India at home. Scored a ton against Pak.

2011:  A century against Ind at home.

2012:  Centuries  against New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka.

Sachin Tendulkar

2010: A double against Australia at home. A double in Sri Lanka. A ton versus Bangladesh.

2011: The memorable Capetown century.

2012: Drought!!

Kumar Sangakkara

2010: A double against India, a ton against West Indies – both at home.

2011: A double and a ton against Pakistan. A ton in England.

2012:  Scores of 199, 192 versus Pakistan

Hashim Amla

2010: a double against India at home, a ton against India in India.

2011:  A couple of tons, not big ones.

2012: 311*, the first South African to score a triple century.

Building up to Verdict

Three parameters are important

Consistency, Diversity in run-making (venues), quality of oppositions.

If we talk of consistency, Sachin and Amla get eliminated. Sachin hasn’t done well in 2012. Amla had a relatively quiet season in 2011. Three left.

If we talk of diversity in run-making, Kallis , Sangakkara, Cook – all three have done it. They have scored against various oppositions at different venues.

If we talk about quality of oppositions, Alastair Cook having scored against Australia in Ashes, Steyn-led South African attack and Malinga-led Sri Lankan attack, emerges as comprehensive winner. Each of his centuries have been big ones with many 150+ scores.

Final Verdict: Alistair Cook is the best batsman since 2010.