The year 2016 has been an eventful one as far as cricket is concerned and we hope to see many more memorable matches before the end of the year. Over the year there has been many splendid performances and it has been a great year for the batsmen. Be it Tests, ODIs or Twenty20s the batsmen have put their hands up and have contributed a large amount to the team’s success.
With a couple of big Test series gone by and the cricketing summer fast approaching we thought it was the appropriate time to provide the update on the leading run scorers in the year so far across all formats.
#10 Martin Guptill (NZ): 1,013 runs at 46.04 in 20 matches. 1x100, 8x50s. HS: 102
Runs breakdown – Test: 219 at 31.28, ODI: 402 at 57.42, T20: 392 at 49.00
The destructive Kiwis opener Martin Guptill has been in a prolific run-scoring form in the shorter version of the game but has hardly made an impact in the Test series played in Australia last summer. The only other Test assignment for the Black Caps was against the African minnows Zimbabwe.
In 2016, Guptill has literally toyed with a number of bowling attacks and was especially destructive in the ODI and T20 series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka at home. Scores of 102, 90, 82 and 59 in seven ODI innings highlights the terrific form he has been in through the course of the year. He also scored a swashbuckling 48 ball 80 against Pakistan in the World Twenty20 but was unable to deliver in rest of the matches.
#9 David Warner (Aus) 1,020 at 40.80 in 23 matches. 3x100s, 5x50s. HS: 122no
Runs breakdown – Test: 324 at 36, ODI: 511 at 63.87, T20: 185 at 23.12
Warner began the year in a spanking fashion, scoring a century in the very first match of the year. Following the home Test series against New Zealand, Warner had a lean patch in Tests in tours of New Zealand and Sri Lanka but grew in stature as an ODI batsman. Following a terrific IPL campaign, Warner was the most destructive batsman for the Aussies in the tri-series in the Caribbean but again his form dipped as Australia was humbled 3-0 in Sri Lanka and even in the World T20 he was well short of his best.
With his 30th birthday fast approaching, Warner could be entering a most important chapter in his international career.
#8 Kane Williamson (NZ) 1,042 runs at 49.61 in 21 matches. 1x100, 9x50s. HS: 113
Runs breakdown – Test: 414 at 69.00, ODI: 245 at 35.00, T20: 383 at 47.87
A century against Zimbabwe in the 2nd Test of the recently concluded tour made Kane Williamson the youngest player in history to score centuries against all Test playing nations. A feat achieved just a day before his 26th birthday makes the achievement that more special. With the retirement of Brendon McCullum, Williamson has put his hands up and has taken the additional responsibilities for the betterment of the team.
Given his immense talent and his prolific form across all formats Williamson will be the biggest hope for the Kiwis in the tough tour against South Africa. But given his importance to the side, his brilliance and temperament as a captain will be tested in the following years and we hope he will take New Zealand to greater heights in the near future.
#7 Jonny Bairstow (Eng) 1,046 runs at 69.03 in 16 matches. 3x100s, 4x50s. HS: 167no
Runs breakdown – Test: 992 at 76.30, ODI: 54 at 27, T20: NA
Following a phenomenal county season in 2015, Jonny Bairstow has gone on to replicate his domestic form in the longest format of the game. In Test cricket, he has been in sublime form over the year scoring heaps of runs but he has hardly played any ODI and T20 games in the year so far.
Only 5 other wicket keeper batsman apart from Bairstow has gone on to score three 140+ scores in their career and the champion wicket keeper batsman from England has achieved the feat within 8 months. He has been the highest run scorer in Tests in the year so far and will look to continue his dream run in the future.
#6 Dinesh Chandimal (SL) 1,153 runs at 36.03. 3x100s, 7x50s. HS: 132
Runs breakdown – Test: 422 at 38.36, ODI: 420 at 60, T20: 311 at 22.21
A fighting century by the Sri Lankan in Colombo, when the chips were down was described by his coach as the finest innings ever by Chandimal. It was a landmark achievement by Chandimal given the situation Sri Lanka was in. He has been an important member of the Sri Lankan side and along with Angelo Mathews he has tried to fill in the big shoes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. He had also scored a magnificent century in England earlier this year.
Sri Lanka’s most productive batsman in T20s and in ODIs as well, he has been in scintillating form, scoring a century and 8 half centuries over the course of the year. However, it’s the Test match environment where his country needs him the most and the signs in 2016 has been very good so far.
#5 Alex Hales (Eng) 1,166 runs at 35.33 in 26 matches. 2x100s, 9x50s. HS: 133no
Runs breakdown – Test: 537 at 28.26, ODI: 520 at 74.28, T20: 109 at 15.57
Second to only Joe Root among his compatriots on this list, Hales' ODI form has been a revelation for England this year. This has likely paved the way for his extended opportunities in the Test side, in which his record is far less flattering. Brutal and belligerent at his best, Hales is topped only by Steve Smith and Root in 2016 in ODI runs, having begun the year with four straight half-centuries - including a 99 - against the Proteas and finishing that series with a deserved hundred.
Another followed against Sri Lanka, and it will be interesting to see which way the big-hitting right-hander goes under the coaching of Trevor Bayliss; a limited-overs blaster or a batsman capable of adapting his game effectively to Test cricket as well.
The ODI form of Alex Hales has been a revelation in the year so far and he is only 2nd to Joe Root among his compatriots in this list. His prolific run in ODIs was instrumental in giving him extended opportunities at the Test level but the results have been far from impressive.
Destructive at the top of the order, Hales is bettered only by Joe Root and Steven Smith as the top run-scorer in ODIs in 2016, a year which began with four straight half-centuries including a 99 which was followed by a well-deserved century in the last game. Given his brilliant form in the shorter version, it will be interesting to see whether Hales goes on to become an ODI specialist or a batsman capable of adapting to his game effectively to Test cricket as well.
#4 Hashim Amla (SA) 1,196 runs at 62.94 in 21 matches. 4x100s, 7x50s. HS: 201
Runs breakdown – Test: 451 at 90.20, ODI: 437 at 43.70, T20: 308 at 77
Amla has been the Mr.Consistent for South Africa for a long time and even in 2016 he has been in a terrific form. Though he finds fewer headlines than the three men above him on the list but he has been consistently scoring runs across all formats in 2016. Cited as a Test specialist early on in his career, the calm and composed Amla has gone on to prove his critics wrong.
He has been an integral figure during the incessant time for his country’s cricket team and his 12-hour knock of 201 against England was of the highest calibre and that was backed up by a 109 and 96 in Centurion. Scoring 2 centuries and 11 half-centuries in ODIs and four fifties in just seven T20 innings justified the fact he is a man for all formats.
#3 Virat Kohli (Ind) 1,257 runs at 89.78 in 21 matches. 3x100s, 9x50s. HS: 200
Runs breakdown – Test: 251 at 62.75, ODI: 381 at 76.20, T20: 625 at 125
Already considered as one of the greatest ODI batsmen, Virat Kohli has also added the title of T20 prince to his name following a string of unbelievable performances in the ICC World Twenty20. He single-handedly took India to the semi-finals beating Australia in a nerve-wracking encounter. For the second consecutive time, Kohli was the highest run scorer in the mega event.
In only 4 Tests he played in the year so far he scored his maiden double century in the 1st Test against West Indies in the ongoing series. In ODIs he remains a master scoring two centuries and two fifties in only 5 matches.
#2 Steve Smith (Aus) 1,302 runs at 46.50 in 29 matches. 3x100s, 8x50s. HS: 149
Runs breakdown – Test: 509 at 63.62, ODI: 620 at 47.69, T20: 173 at 24.71
Steven Smith’s century in the final Test against Sri Lanka in the recently concluded tour enabled him to go past Ricky Ponting as the youngest Australian to reach 4,000 Test runs. The golden run for Smith began in 2013 and it has been a roller coaster ride since then. He has a prolific run scorer in each of the formats he plays. While the tour of Sri Lanka was not a memorable one for both Smith and Australia he was still their highest run scorer in the series, extending his run of consecutive Test series with at least a century to seven.
In ODIs, he began the year scoring a brilliant 149 against the Indians while his valuable 61 against Pakistan in the World T20 kept Australia’s chances alive in the tournament.
#1 Joe Root (Eng) 1,701 runs at 54.87 in 28 matches. 4x100s, 10x50s. HS: 254
Runs breakdown – Test: 888 at 55.50, ODI: 522 at 65.25, T20: 291 at 41.57
Joe Root has is the youngest of the modern generation to dominate world cricket at this point in time. What makes him more special is his adaptability to all the three formats of the game. He has been the 2nd highest run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs having scored two centuries in each format. The best of the lot was his enthralling innings of 254 against England at Old Trafford in the recently concluded series against Pakistan. He has been an integral part of the English middle order and is a captain in the making.
In a World T20 match against England, his whirlwind 83 of 44 balls ensured England chased down a mammoth 230 against South Africa. It was an effort which very few batsmen on the planet could reach.
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