5 players with the most Test centuries in 2018

Another year of some exciting Test match contests has come to an end with India defeating Australia at the MCG in the final Test match of the year. Two other matches that had started on the Boxing Day, saw the hosts New Zealand and South Africa defeat Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively.

The year 2018 belonged to the bowlers in Tests but there were several instances where the batsmen dominated the proceedings. To score a century in Test match cricket is a dream for every batsman and a number of batsmen were successful in hitting their first Test 100 this year.

India, England and New Zealand emerged as the best Test teams of the year as their batsmen scored mountains of runs irrespective of the playing conditions.

So, with no more Test matches scheduled to take place in 2018, let us have a look at the 5 players with the most centuries in 2018:

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#5 Cheteshwar Pujara (India) - 3 centuries

Cheteshwar Pujara had a sore start to 2018 as he was regularly dropped from the team. However, the Saurashtra born batsman made sure that he cements his place once again in the playing XI before the year ends. Pujara scored 3 centuries for India, and most importantly, all these centuries were scored overseas.

He scored his first 100 of the year at the Rose Bowl in England which helped him retain his place in the squad for Australia. Later in the year, his batting skills helped India win two Test matches Down Under as his 123 and 106 played a huge role in turning the game in India's favour at Adelaide and Melbourne.

Test Centuries in 2018

1.132* vs England, 30-8-18

2.123 vs Australia, 6-12-18

3.106 vs Australia, 26-12-18

#4 Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka) - 3 centuries

A name which many of the cricket fans would not have expected to feature on this list, Kusal Mendis emerged as the best batsman for Sri Lanka in Test matches of 2018. His 1023 runs from 12 Tests made him the cornerstone of Sri Lankan batting in the longest format of the game.

Despite playing a lot of Test matches on home turf, Kusal Mendis could not score a single century playing in Sri Lanka. However, the right-handed batsman scored three centuries outside of Sri Lanka in 2018.

He started the year with a superb innings of 196 in Bangladesh, which was followed by a 102 in West Indies. Mendis ended the year with a fine innings of 141* in New Zealand, but his best efforts could not save Sri Lanka from losing the Test series against NZ.

Test Centuries in 2018 -

1.196 vs Bangladesh, 31-1-18

2.102 vs West Indies, 6-6-18

3.141* vs New Zealand, 15-12-18

#3 Henry Nicholls (New Zealand) - 3 centuries

The 27-year-old New Zealander played a major role in changing the fortunes of his nation as New Zealand were able to win their first away Test series against Pakistan in 2018. Nicholls aggregated 658 runs in the 7 Test matches he played for New Zealand at a stupendous average of 73.11.

He scored 3 Test 100s in the year 2018, of which 2 were scored on his home turf. He scored his first 100 of the year versus England at Eden Park. It took him 9 months to record his second century of the year when he played a magnificent knock of 126* at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium against Pakistan. He registered his third ton in the Boxing Day Test match against Sri Lanka at the Hagley Oval.

Test Centuries in 2018

1.145* vs England, 22-3-18

2.126* vs Pakistan, 3-12-18

3.162* vs Sri Lanka, 26-12-18

#2 Mominul Haque (Bangladesh) - 4 centuries

Bangladeshi batsman Mominul Haque made the most out of his team's home season as he managed to score 4 Test centuries while playing in home conditions. He started off the year with a bang as his twin centuries in a Test match against Sri Lanka helped Bangladesh gain the upper hand in the series.

Mominul then notched up another century in the month of November when Zimbabwe toured the Bangla nation. He added one more hundred in the year 2018 playing against the Windies.

The 27-year-old left-handed batsman was one of the most underrated players of the year as he was overshadowed by the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim.

Test Centuries in 2018

1.176 vs Sri Lanka, 31-1-18

2.105 vs Sri Lanka, 31-1-18

3.161 vs Zimbabwe, 11-11-18

4.120 vs West Indies, 22-11-18

#1 Virat Kohli (India) - 5 centuries

Virat Kohli, the Indian Test captain, scored the most number of centuries in Test matches in 2018. He played a patient innings of 153 runs against South Africa to kick off the year and followed it up with some memorable innings in England.

Kohli had failed miserably while playing in England in 2014. However, the Delhite turned the tables this time and scored multiple centuries in the United Kingdom. His 149 at Edgbaston has been hailed as one of the best innings of all time by cricket pundits and fans. He then scored another century in the year when India hosted the Windies at Rajkot.

Kohli's last century of the year went in vain as Australia emerged victorious in the Perth Test match where Virat had scored 123 in India's first innings.

Test Centuries in 2018

1.153 vs South Africa, 13-1-18

2.149 vs England, 1-8-18

3.103 vs England, 18-8-18

4.139 vs West Indies, 4-10-18

5. 123 vs Australia, 14-12-18